Kingdom Hearts: The Crossroad
by Dezblade
Summary: Sora, Riku, and Kairi have only been home a week, but a letter from the King and a mysterious man named Samen changes everything. Neku from TWEWY, other retuning characters, and two new face join them on their new quest. Current World: TWTNW
1. Prolouge: The Dream

Kingdom Hearts: The Crossroad

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, or Square Enix, or I'd be filthy rich!

Rated Teen for violence, some language, and some randomness

Please Read and Review!

* * *

Prologue: The Dream

The grass plain seemed still, other than a breeze or two of wind. Not realizing where he was, he walked through the plain. After a little bit, he came across a path in the grass. Where it came from, he didn't know, but he walked on the path. He soon found himself at a crossroad in the path. He looked at the path he came from as well as the other three paths. He walked into the middle of the crossroad, only to lose his balance and fall. Strangely, he fell through the path, and began to fall through an abyss of darkness. He then heard a voice as he fell, a voice that sounded quite like his own. He closed his eyes to concentrate on what this voice was saying. Now it sounded like two voice talking the same thing at the time. This is what he heard:

_Does light conquer darkness, or does darkness conquer light?_

_Or is there something that controls both?_

_Does fate control our destiny, or does destiny control fate?_

_Can we really change the future, or is it predetermined?_

_Will we ever find our friends and ourselves in this never-ending maze of adventure and mystery?_

_Is this the final battle?_

_Is this the end?_

_Is any of this for real…or not?_

He opened his eyes when the two voices had stopped talking to see a circular stained glass mural below him in the middle of the darkness. He seemed to slow his decent as his feet gently landed on the mural. He had been here before; although it seemed so long ago he had been here last. He than heard footsteps from behind him and quickly turned around.

He could see a figure walking on the air in the darkness getting closer to the mural. He soon stepped onto the mural, giving light to his appearance. The person's blonde hair immediately gave him away. "It's been awhile, but I've returned. It's great to be back, Sora."

Sora closed his eyes and opened them to be staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He then jumped out of bed and looked at the mirror in his room. The guy in the dream, he looked exactly like, other than his blonde hair. "That had to have just been a dream…right? Or could have really been…Roxas?" Sora said to himself.

* * *

Alright, The Crossroads has now been edited! For review for old readers or for new readers, here are some things that will happen throughout the story.

(1) Notes like this will be seen during a part of a chapter and than explained at the bottom in Author notes

Limits that are performed with two characters will be named in author notes in _Italics._

New Drives will be **Bold** and with a small explanation

Jiminy Journals will give introductions to new characters to Kigndom Hearts and they will be underlined and given some character background. So previous characters will be re-written in Jimminy's Journal because they have changed nature, new weapons, powers, ect.

**Neku's Playlist:** This will appear during the story. The playlist will feature a series of songs that fit parts of the story or act as background battle music. It will also be used to "introduce" theme songs for orginal characters (OC). Requests for songs are welcome, just put a request in a review.

Also on my profile page is a link to my DeviantArt profile which i have done some concepts for characters. I'm not a really good artist, but you get the idea.

Please review and enjoy the story!

_Dezblade_


	2. 1: Training

Chapter 1: Training

Sora got up and did his morning routine of taking a shower, putting on some fresh clothes, and running downstairs to grab some breakfast. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was immediately talked by someone to the living room floor. "Riku?" Sora said.

Riku stood laughing. "Geez Sora, I would expect you to be more alert of someone attacking you."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Sora said getting up.

"Ever since we've returned, Tidus and Waka have been begging us to play a game of blitzball. You know them."

"Right," Sora said rolling his eyes. "And I'm guessing you finally agreed so that they would stop bothering you?"

Riku shrugged. "Hey it could be worst. Some crazy guy could be trying to take over Kingdom Hearts again."

Sora shook his head as he grabbed a bowl of cereal from a cupboard. A week ago, he and Riku had put an end to Xemnas, Xehanort's Heartless and the leader of Organization XIII. They had then returned to Destiny Islands through the Door of Light and were reunited with their companions. Since then, they reunited with their family and friends back at their island home. "So when do they want to do this game?" Sora asked, still quite groggy.

"About two p.m. which still gives us time to train our 'pupil' in half an hour," Riku stated emphasizing the pupil part.

Sora finished his cereal and put his bowl in the dishwasher. "How much longer do you want to train her? I mean, she's a skilled fighter even when we started."

"So you're admitting she could defeat you?" Riku said with a sly grin.

"No!" Sora said quickly. "It's not that. It's just that she's at a level where she doesn't need to train every day."

Riku rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

Suddenly, Kairi walked through the front door. "Good morning!" she said happily.

"Good morning is an oxymoron," Sora said trying to become fully awake by stretching.

"Hey, are we still sparing today?" Kairi asked.

"Well, you other 'tutor' and I have been discussing that, and we think that today we step it up," said Riku.

"What!" exclaimed Sora.

Riku laughed. "I'm just joking you."

Kairi actually looked disappointed. "But guys, I really want to go train today."

Riku raised his eyebrow. "Intrigued, are you?"

"Yeah. I really wanted to work on my magic skills this time."

"Well, you heard her Sora. Let's get to the island."

"I'll be there in a minute," said Sora as he ran upstairs.

Sora ran upstairs and opened his closet and took out a small wooden box. He then pulled out four summoning charms he had gained from his last adventure. "This will test how good Kairi's gotten," he said to himself as he hid the charms in his pocket and ran downstairs. "All right ready to go."

"Hey, you know what I noticed," Kairi said.

"What?" Riku asked.

"We're all wearing the same clothes from when we came back home."

Sure enough, they all were wearing the same clothes, including Sora's drive clothes he had gained at the beginning of his last adventure. "Wow, talk about random." said Riku.

"Well, are we going or not?" Sora asked.

"Race you down to the shore!" Kairi said as she bran out Sora's house and ran for the shore.

Sora and Riku chased after her as they neared the small dock where Kairi's dad kept wooden kayaks that the three used to travel from island to island. She had already got into hers and was beginning to paddle into the water. Sora and Riku quickly followed suite and paddled after her and eventually passing her.

Once getting to their favorite island, they pulled up their kayaks and took a quick breather. "Remember how over a year ago, we were here and building a raft to go to other worlds?" Kairi said.

"Yeah, I remember. Sora was too lazy to build the raft," Riku said.

"Hey! I had to get all the food and everything. You know how long it took to find those stupid seagull eggs?"

The three laughed till they were energized enough to spar. "So Riku, you said today we were going to step it up. How?" Kairi asked.

Riku held out his hand, and in a flash, his keyblade Road to Dawn had appeared in his hand. "We're going to use our keyblades."

Sora gave Riku an odd stare. For the past days, they had been using driftwood and other crude forms of fake swords, but not their real keyblades. "You sure about that Riku?" Sora asked.

Kairi then summoned her own keyblade. In a flash of light, the keyblade Riku had given to her at Organization XIII's castle. "Come on Sora, I've been waiting to use Blossoming Heart two days ago."

Sora then summoned the Kingdom Key. "Alright, since you put it that way, this'll really prepare you."

Sora than ran forward and swung the Kingdom Key at Kairi as she blocked it. Kairi than pushed him off and swung twice quickly at him. Sora quickly did a dodge roll to avoid the attack and came back up with an upper cut. Kairi just simply sidestepped out of the way and pointed her keyblade a Sora. "THUNDER!" she yelled.

A strike of lightning then came from the sky but Sora dodged Kairi's spell. "Who said we were magic?" Sora asked.

"You heard me earlier. I wanted to work on my magic skills." Kairi said.

"You're on then. FIRE!"

A ring of fire quickly went around Sora as Kairi stepped back. Kairi then jumped in the air and swung at Sora's head. Sora quickly pointed his keyblade at Kairi and yelled, "AERO!"

Kairi was immediately was flown back by a whirlwind and fell on the sandy beach. Realizing at what he had just done, he ran over to Kairi. "Kairi! Are you okay? I didn't mean to do that! I overreacted. I'm-"

Sora didn't get to finish because Kairi's swiftly swung her keyblade at him. "BLIZZARDGA!"

Sora now flew back this time as he was hit by a blast of freezing cold. He sat up in the sand and reached up to hair to realize that Kairi had frozen his hair. Riku was laughing his head off at the way Sora looked. "It looks like he has an iceberg for hair!" he laughed.

Kairi was laughing too. Sora then quickly then did a fire spell to melt the ice, only to have his head soaked in water. Now they were all laughing, including Sora. "Well, that was different," Sora said as he stopped laughing.

"Yeah I think you might have had brain freeze," said Kairi, laughing at Sora.

"Still Sora, I think you learned something from Kairi this time," Riku said walking over. "And that is to never let your guard down. Not matter what or who the opponent is."

Sora scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but I was just worried I might have hurt her, that's all."

"It's okay," Kairi said.

"Well Sora, I think it's my turn to take this fight," Riku said rising Road to Dawn and pointing his keyblade at Kairi.

"You're on Riku."

"But let's set a few rules. One: If one of us doesn't feel to well or admits defeat the will call 'done'. Two: No going easy on each other. This will be a test if you fought a enemy with the powers of darkness."

Kairi's eyes widened a little bit. Riku gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm not doing anything life threatening. Besides, both you and Sora know healing spells incase either of us don't feel too well. You ready?" Riku said as he positioned a battle pose.

Kairi swung her keyblade and readied herself. "I've been ready Riku."

Then at the same time, the two friends jumped at each other and their keyblades clashed with each other. They than jumped back from each other, and Riku ran back at Kairi to slash at her. Kairi quickly parried the blow as well as the next five consecutive blows. Kairi was then knocked down by one of Riku's attacks. She then swung Blossoming Heart from behind Riku, tripping him. He fell to the ground as well, and the two took the moment to get back on their feet. Riku then jumped back. "DARK FIRAGRA!" Riku shouted as dark flames shot from his keyblade.

At that moment, Sora almost jumped in to stop the dark flames, but he stopped himself when he saw Kairi use a reflect spell, stopping the dark flames. "Very good!" said Riku. "That was a weak version of the spell, but it was still a threat."

Kairi then ran forward and slashed he keyblade several times. Sora never realized she could swing her keyblade at the speed she was attacking. Apparently Riku was thinking the same because Riku jumped away from her fury of swings. "Since when did you start that?" Riku asked.

Then Kairi stopped for a second, slightly lowering her keyblade. "I…I don't know. I just kind of came out of no where."

"Maybe we should take a break," Sora suggested.

"Yeah, sure," said Kairi, and the three friends dismissed their keyblades.

Riku then looked overhead to see some dark clouds coming towards the island, ripples from raindrops on the ocean's surface. "Hey guys, we got rain."

"Hurry, to the Secret Spot!" Sora said as they ran in before the rain began to fall on the island.

The cave gave an echoing effect to the rain coming down on the island. The three looked around at all the drawings several kids had drawn in the cave by scratching other rocks on the cave surface. In the back of the cave was a tall wooden door. "Hey, I forgot about this door," said Sora.

"Why is it here anyway?" Kairi asked.

"It's the door to the heart of this world," Riku said simply.

Sora turned to Riku. "How do you know about that?"

"When we here as little kids some time, I remember looking at that door, and seeing a keyhole in the middle of it. Of course, I didn't think of it at the time, but know, I just put it together."

Just then, the outline of a keyhole on the door appeared. Sora's Kingdom Key then came back to him in a flash. "I guess you have to seal it," said Kairi.

Sora nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah."

He then pointed his keyblade at the keyhole, and a small beam came from it. The beam went into the keyhole, and a locking noise was heard. The outline of the keyhole then disappeared, and Sora dismissed the Kingdom Key. "So, you sealed all the Keyholes, right Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah. The heartless can't possibly get to the heart of other worlds."

Riku then looked outside the cave. "Hey, the storms already gone."

"Really?" Kairi said as she followed Riku outside.

Sora followed suite, passing the drawing that he and Kairi had drawn on the wall at separate times. The storm was in fact gone, and a clear sky was left behind it as the dark cloud continued over the sea. "Weird," Sora muttered.

* * *

Long first chapter, but trust me, the good stuff starts to happen soon. It might be a day or two before chapter 2. Please review or give comments! Oh, and I made up that name for kairi's keyblade.

_Dezblade_


	3. 2: The Message and Ship in the Sky

Chapter 2: The Message and Ship in the Sky

It was about an hour later after the quick rainfall had passed, and the three friends had been looking around the island incase the weather had caused any damage or had affected any of the built structures. Sora knew the truth though when Riku suggested the idea: something weird could have caused the quick storm. Yet as Sora searched, he found nothing weird. Everything still seemed the same as when the world was once sent into the darkness over a year ago. So, he returned to the north side of the island where the Secret Spot was to see if Riku and Kairi had returned. He could then see Riku sitting on the trunk of the papou tree on small island with the on it that was connected by a small wooden bridge.

Sora ran forward, jumped over the trunk of the tree that had grown horizontally, and leaned up against it. "Nothing's changed, has it?" said Riku.

"Nope, nothing will," said Sora.

"What a small world," said Riku.

"But part of one that's much bigger," said Sora.

"Yeah."

"Hey, Riku," said Sora, looking up at Riku, "What do you think it was, the door to light?"

Riku, laughing, jumped down from the Papou tree. He then pointed to Sora's heart. "This," he said.

"This?" said Sora, putting his hand over his heart.

"Hey," said Riku while shrugging, "it's always closer then you think."

Understanding what Riku meant, Sora flashed a big smile. "Sora! Riku!"

Sora turned around to see Kairi running towards them, waving her hand. Once reaching them, she leaned over, catching her breath from running. "Kairi, what is it?" asked Sora.

"Look," she said, as she looked up, and shoed Sora something.

It was a bottle, with a piece of paper rolled up on the inside. What captured Sora's attention was King Mickey's seal on the paper. "From the King?" said Sora, grabbing the bottle.

He then quickly took the cork off of the top, took out the paper, and opened it to see that it was a letter. Riku looked over Sora's right shoulder while Kairi looked over Sora's left. Sora read the letter quickly because it was very short.

_Sora, Riku, and Kairi,_

_I hope this letter got to you safely and quickly. Something has happened that I can't quite explain because someone may intercept this. I need you to see Squall at Radiant Garden. He can give you more information there. I'm sending someone to give you a ride there. You won't know him, but he'll give you a secret word: castle. I wish to see you soon._

_M.M._

"Something's happened?" Riku asked.

"I don't like the sound of this," Kairi said.

"Well," Sora said putting the letter in his pocket, "as long as we stick together, we'll do fine!"

Kairi nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, but we've only been home for a short while."

Then a loud blast sounded off, like a giant cannon. The three keyblade weilders quickly looked into the clear blue sky to see a dark portal in the sky. "I don't like the looks of this," said Riku.

Then small patches of darkness began flying out of the portal falling towards the islands. "What is that?" Kairi yelled.

"Heartless?" Sora guessed.

"But I thought you just sealed the Keyhole!"

"When the Keyhole is sealed, it just prevents the heartless from getting to the heart of a world. They come whenever they please, but they can't take the world into darkness," Riku explained.

Then, another portal opened up next to the one of darkness. This was a familiar portal, yet it wasn't. "It looks like a gummi ship portal, but it looks a lot larger," Sora said.

Then a humongous ship exited from the portal, and immediately began to fire at the dark portal the heartless were coming from. After firing for about a minute, the ship's wings expanded revealing several engines glowing blue. The ship then sped off flying towards the island that the three teenagers stood on. "What do we do?" Kairi asked.

"Well, whoever it is, they're against the heartless. That's good enough for me," Sora said.

Riku shook his head. "I suggest we run."

Sora was shocked. Run? Riku never suggested that. "What do you mean?" Sora asked.

Riku didn't get to answer because the ship had just zoomed over the island at an incredible speed, sweeping Sora, Riku, and Kairi off their feet. "That couldn't be a gummi ship. There's not even a single gummi block on it!" Sora said getting back to his feet.

"Well duh Sora! Look, run for the Secret Spot. We'll hide in there. Plus, if anyone or anything gets in there, we can corner them," Riku said running towards the cave.

"More like we'll be cornered," Sora said. "Riku, what is that thing? You get one glimpse at it and you say we should run. What's going on?"

Riku gave half a glare at Sora. "I've seen this before, I'm sure of it. Maleficent was trying to create giant ships that could transport heartless to different worlds. That looks exactly like one."

They didn't have time to discuss it more because the ship flew over their heads again, this time a lot slower. It began to descend to the ground, landing coming down preparing to touch the sand on the beach. Sora quick jumped off the wooden bridge and landed on the sand beneath. "If there's any heartless, we just fight them off!"

Riku nodded, jumped, and landed next to Sora. Kairi followed suite. "Just be prepared for anything, you hear me," Riku warned as the ship landed on the sandy surface, it's engines shutting off.

A small area of the ship opened and folded outwards to the sand with stairs on it. The three cautiously took steps towards the ship. Then, Sora heard footsteps coming from the ship. A figure than appeared at the ship's entrance and descended the steps. The figure took two steps and could then be seen in the light of the sun. He wore dark pants, a gold colored vest that reminded Sora of chain mail. His hair seemed to be slicked back, a large sized gun in his left hand. "Well, well, what is this here?" he said. "Not quite the welcoming party I expected to get here. First a swarm of heartless and then three teenagers looking as if they might just attack me. This journey doesn't seem to be worth it."

"Who are you?" Sora asked.

"The name's Balthier. Is this the Destiny Islands? I'm here looking for something?"

"What?" Riku asked.

"A castle. Although it seems there's not one at all on these islands. Would you happen to know where one is?"

"Did the King send you?" Kairi asked.

The man named Balthier raised his eyebrows. "You're the one's I'm supposed to pick up, are you know. I wouldn't suppose your name's would be Sora, Riku, and Kairi, would they?"

Sora nodded his head. "That's us."

Balthier then took his gun and tapped the entrence to the ship. "Well, get on the Strahl then. We haven't got much time you know."

"The Strahl?" Kairi asked.

"Well the ship's gotta to have a name now, don't she? Now come on aboard. We've got to move, and fast."

"Wait a second," Riku said stepping forward. "Who do you work for?"

"You seemed confused boy. The King hired me to pick you up, take you to Radient Garden, and that's that."

"So you're on no side," Riku summarized.

"I've never been on a side, boy."

"My name is Riku!"

Balthier sighed. "Look, do you want to stand here arguing or let the worlds be attacked by these wretched heartless?"

"What!" Sora said.

"Look, just get on the Strahl. We can talk while we're traveling."

Balthier then went up the stairs into the Strahl. "Of course, that is unless you don't want to go," he said, and he walked out of view.

"Riku, come on," Sora getting on the ship.

Kairi approached the steps and turned to look at Riku. "You don't trust him, do you?"

Riku shrugged. "Him, I don't care about. It's the ship that bothers me. But I'm coming," he said climbing up the stairs after Kairi.

They walked into the front of the ship and found Balthier already strapped in, Sora getting into a seat. "Already to go kids?" he asked.

"We're not kids you know?" Kairi said.

Balthier gave a quick sigh. "Look, just get strapped in. It's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride."

"What about the heartless?" Sora asked.

"Those heartless hadn't completely formed when I shot their portal. All they'll do is fade back into some darkness somewhere. All right hold. She goes pretty fast."

The Strahl lifted off of the ground and zoomed off into the sky until it left the keyblade wielder's island home into the cosmos.

* * *

Balthier- A sky Pirate hired by King Mickey to pick up Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Riku claims the ship he drives is associated with Maleficent, however. He doesn't seem to work for either side though, he's just in it for the munny. First appeared in Final Fantasy XII.

Final Fantasy XII was one of my favorite Final Fantasy games, so I've included Balthier, as well as some to appear later.

_Dezblade_


	4. 3: Something Wrong

Chapter 3: Something Wrong

The Strahl landed in Radiant Garden within a few amount of hours. During the ride, Riku questioned Balthier about the ship, and it's connection to the similar ship he saw that Maleficent had tried to make. The sky pirate murmured something to himself before he had answered Riku. "What you are referencing to when that witch stole the Strahl and made a design of her own. Fortunately, I was able to get her back and destroy the plans. For some odd reason, she didn't seem to be there at the time."

Believing that Balthier was on their side, Riku rested easy for the rest of the journey. When they landed in Radiant Garden, Balthier lead them to the main square where shops were located. "I leave you three here to go on your own. I assume you have some place to be heading to?"

"Yeah. Thanks Balthier!" said Sora as he ran off, Riku following after him.

Balthier shook his head. "Somehow, he reminds me Vann," Balthier mutters to himself. He then noticed Kairi was still there. "What? Aren't you going with your friends?"

Kairi just looked at Balthier. "You don't seem to be in a rush either."

"Well, I have to find an old friend of mine. Oh, and do me a favor Kairi?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure the leading man keeps his act together," Balthier said, and walked off. (1)

Somewhat confused, Kairi ran after Sora and Riku. She soon caught up with them in a minute. "Kairi, where were you?" Sora asked.

"Just quick looking at a shop," Kairi lied.

"Well Sora, where do we find Squall?" Riku asked.

"Well, he's probably with the Restoration Committee, and he prefers to be called Leon," Sora said.

"Sora!"

Sora turned around to see someone on a motorcycle coming at them full speed. "Get out of the way!" the man yelled.

The three teens quickly jumped out of the bikes path as it tried to stop, but ended up crashing into the side of a building. When the dust started to clear, Sora approached, he recognized the rider. "Cloud?"

The blonde haired warrior took off his goggles to reveal his blue eyes. He swore to himself as he looked at his motorcycle. "And I thought I had the kinks in it fixed too," he muttered to himself.

"Sora, this is that strong swordsman you told us about?" Kairi asked Sora quietly.

Sora quickly nodded his head as Cloud turned around. "It's a good thing you're still around. I need all the help I can get."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"The entire Restoration Committee is missing."

"WHAT!" Sora exclaimed.

"I don't know where they are. I came back three days ago and I still haven't found them," Cloud said. "But there's more to it."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

Cloud looked at Riku oddly. "Have we met?"

"No. Cloud, these are my two friends: Riku and Kairi," Sora said.

"Can they fight?"

"You bet we can," Kairi said.

"Better than lame Sora here," Riku said.

"I'm not lame!" Sora argued.

"Look, let's not argue," Cloud interrupted.

"Agreed," Kairi said. "So, Cloud, what where you going to say?"

Cloud closed his eyes for the moment, and Sora could only guess at what he was going to say. "Sephiroth's back. And in some way, he's involved with the disappearances."

Sora eyes widened. "But, I thought you took care of him…"

Cloud looked away. "So did I."

"How's he involved?" Riku asked.

"I don't know, except that he came face to face with me, telling me I had to give him the Royal Scroll if I wanted any of them to live."

Sora scratched his head. "Royal Scroll?"

"Sounds like you know as much as I do," Cloud said as he grabbed his buster sword from the broken down Fenrir.

"Why can't we just go and fight him?" Riku asked.

Cloud raised his eyebrows. "Only I can defeat him. Sora once fought him with skilled swordsmanship and he didn't even get a scratch."

"Well then we'll fight him together. Where is he anyways?" Riku asked.

"Follow me," said Cloud, starting to walk off. "Just be prepared. There's a lot of heartless going around here."

The four walked out of Radiant Garden into the area where Sora remembered he fought probably the stupidest of all members of Organization XIII: Demnyx. They walked until heartless appeared out of thin air and went at them. "Neoshadows!" Sora exclaimed.

"Man, these are nothing," Riku said as he summoned his keyblade and began to slice through the heartless.

Sora and Kairi summoned their keyblades as well and began to fight off the heartless, but more just coming out of no where. "Where are they all coming from?" Kairi asked.

"I wish I knew. Then I wouldn't have to fight these things over and over again," Cloud said as he sliced through six heartless at once, six hearts floating up into the sky.

Sora than realized something. "The Heartless generator. It must have reenacted somehow!"

"How do you turn it off?" Riku asked after he used Dark Fiagra on a large group of heartless.

"We have to get to Ansem's computer. I could talk to Tron then."

"Well let's get going," Cloud said, clearing a path through the heartless.

The four ran through, attacking heartless as they went. What they didn't notice was someone watching them from above. He had gold/blonde hair and an odd shaped robe concealing his body. He had found three of the keyblade weilders. Now the only question was where the other one was. The king that wielded a keyblade. He would have to talk with these young people and find out where the other keyblade wielder was.

* * *

(1) Balthier always mentioned himself as the "leading man" in the game, but recognizes this with Sora as the leader of the group.

Now the plot thickens. The new character will be introduced soon as well. Expect the next chapter within a day or two

_Dezblade_


	5. 4: Who's in Charge Here?

Chapter 4: Who's in Charge Here?

It took them a little while, but they managed to get to Ansem's lab with his computer. They could see below more and more heartless appearing in the manufacturer. "Sora, those things will get through if we don't hurry up!" Riku said.

"I'm on it!" Sora yelled as he started typing on the keyboard.

"Who is there? What is it that you want?" said a familiar voice.

"Tron! It's me, Sora!"

"Sora! It's good to hear from you again!" Sora heard the program say.

"Not right now Tron, what's with all the heartless?"

"I'm trying to stop it myself, but it seems that there's some kind of code blocking it."

"What's the file?" Sora asked.

"It's titled 'meteor strike'. I've never heard of it before. Would you know?"

Sora looked at Riku and Kairi, both shacking their heads. Cloud than stepped forward. "It's Midgar," he said.

"You're sure?" Sora asked.

Cloud gave Sora a cold stare. "Sephiroth was the one that caused Meteor. Trust me, I was there."

There was some odd noises from the computer before they heard Tron again. "It worked! I'm shutting it off."

Soon, no more heartless came from the machine, and machine began to shut off. "Thanks Tron!" Sora said.

"No, thank your friend."

Cloud shrugged. "Least I could do."

Then an odd portal appeared down by the heartless. "What is that?" Kairi asked.

The portal seemed to two different colors: gold and red. A figure than walked out of the portal completely covered in a red cloak. The cloak's shape reminded Sora of a group of nobodies. "The Organization?" he asked.

"But the Organization's gone, isn't it," Kairi asked.

"I don't know. Organization XIII was always in black cloaks, never anything else," Riku said.

The heartless then began to advance on the red cloaked stranger. Before they could attack, they all disappeared. "Huh?" Sora said.

"I don't like the looks of this," said Cloud.

The stranger than sit down on the ground, cross legged. "He's sitting?" Kairi asked.

"He obviously knows we're here," Cloud said.

"Stay here. I'll go," Riku said as he ran to the small elevator that led down to the heartless machine.

"You're not going without us," said Kairi following Riku.

"Wait up," Sora said running after his friends.

Cloud rolled his eyes and stayed where he was. The three keyblade wielders soon were on the same floor as the heartless generator and where the cloaked man was sitting. "Who are you?" Riku questioned.

The cloaked figure stood upright and pointed at them. "My, my, it has been quite a while, hasn't it?"

"Huh?" Kairi said.

"What? You don't recognize me?"

"You're from the organization!" Sora said.

"Was, Sora. You should know. I mean, you took them out."

"How do you know me.?"

Then another gold and red portal opened up next to the cloaked stranger. Out than walked a man Sora had never seen before. His face was covered by an odd type of metal, the only details visible were his green eyes through two openings and his blonde/gold hair coming out from the back of the crude helmet. His robe was gray and brown, tattered in several places, and covered his entire body. He wore silver gloves that could have been chain mail. "I told you not to come," the masked man said to the ex-member of the Organization.

"Dude, there was a firkin large amount of heartless here and you want me to just watch. Hell no. I don't think so."

"You know what I told you. You should have disappeared after you took the heartless out."

"I was regaining my energy. You expect me to have ethers all the time?"

"This is no time for excuses!"

"Look who's talking' you failure!"

"Um…guys?" Sora asked.

The two didn't hear him as they began to argue even more. "You said we could bring them back!" yelled the red cloaked one.

"I said it could be **possible** to do so!"

"LAIR!"

"NOBODY!"

"DESERTER!"

"SHUT UP!!" Riku yelled.

The other two stopped their arguing to turn to Riku who looked really ticked. "Do you guys have no life or something!" he said.

"Well Riku, I would ask you the same thing," said the ex-member of Organization XIII.

"How do you know us?" Sora asked for the second time, ready to summon his keyblade.

The man with the odd helmet faced them. "Perhaps you might know someone called Squall from around here. Do you know him?"

"What do you want with him?" Kairi said.

"He knows about us and could probably explain it to you better."

"That would be nice and all, but he's missing, along with the rest of the restoration committee," Sora explained.

Sora thought he heard the red-cloaked one swear. "How'd they get here?"

"Think. We were able to get here,' said the masked man.

"Or it could be the stupid witch."

"I really doubt it."

"Hey! Stop leaving us out of the conversation!" Sora said.

"Unless you got something important, don't say anything," said the masked man.

"Who put you in charge?" Kairi said, annoyed.

"How about Sephiroth. He's back," Riku said.

The ex-member seemed surprised. "Sephi-who?"

"A very powerful person. Neither of us could defeat him," explained the masked man.

"Only I can," said Cloud walked forward.

"Cloud? I thought you were up there at the computer?" Sora said.

"I've seen you two around here lately. Who are you, and where do your allegiances lie with. Us, or someone else?"

The two were silent. "We're…not on any side at the moment. I'm just looking for two people," said the ex-member.

"Well, then since were both looking for some friends, I think we should join, for the time being," Cloud concluded.

Sora could see the masked man's eyes, close for a bit behind the mask. The opened a moment later and he held out his hand. "Very well. We shall work with you, for the time being. I am Samen."

Cloud shook his hand. "Good. And you?"

The ex-member threw back his hood, and Sora and Kairi gasped. "You're alive!" Sora said.

The guy looked as at Sora and Kairi, some of his crimson hair in front of his green eyes. "The name's Axel. Got it Memorized?"

* * *

He's BAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!

Axel- Former member VIII of the Organization, Axel has come back, now wearing red Organization Cloak. His fighting skills are the same as before. First appeared in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Samen- (OC) a somewhat new character. He has secret past hidden behind his mask, but all will be revealed about him. His skills and/or weapons are a mystery.

More exciting characters and plot coming soon!

_Dezblade_


	6. 5: Sephiroth's Return

Chapter 5: Sephiroth's Return

"It's been a little while since, hasn't it?" said Axel.

"More like how are you still here?" Kairi said.

"I thought we had just agreed that we are to find the Restoration Committee, correct?" said Samen.

Cloud nodded. "We can talk later."

Sora nodded. "Well Cloud, where's you see Sephiroth last?"

"The area where I fought him last time, ironically."

"In the area where the heartless invasion took place I'm assuming?" said Samen.

"Hey, how'd you know about that?" Sora asked.

"Believe me Sora, this guy knows practically everything," said the Flurry of Dancing Flames.

"Hold for a second," said Samen, holding his hand out.

In a split second, a bright flash of light appeared blinding all of the six, only for it to fade. Once Sora opened his eyes, he noticed that they were in the area Cloud had told. "Whoa!"

"Teleportation?" Riku asked.

"In a way, yes," Samen said.

Kairi then looked to the south to see the Heartless Castle. "What is that?" she said.

"That's Maleficent's castle," Riku said.

"So, you guys think your friends are in there?" Axel said.

"You've returned."

The six turned around to see Sephiroth standing behind them, his katana drawn. "Sephiroth!" Cloud said raising his sword.

"Cloud, I hope you brought the Royal Scroll?" said Sephiroth. **Neku's Playlist: One Winged Angel by Nobuo Uematsu**

"I don't even know what that is. And I doubt I'd even give it to you!"

"Well than maybe one of your friends have it. Maybe the one I fought before?" Sephiroth asked pointing his katana at Sora.

Sora backed away upon reflex and summoned the Kingdom Key. He still couldn't believe how long that sword was. "What did you do with Leon and the others?"

"Cloud's friends? I haven't a clue. I was told they were being kept hostage somewhere. Which meant that Cloud was alone once again and we could finish this. But he has joined you five. I guess I'll have to eliminate you all at once."

Axel took out his chakrams as Riku and Kairi summoned their own keyblades. "I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon," Riku said.

Cloud then stood in front of them. "No. None of you are fighting. This is between me and him. That's it."

Sephiroth slashed his katana twice in the air reading himself. "So, the hero chooses the hard path. Well, Cloud, let's see how this light of yours has done."

The two jumped in the air and clashed their swords. They jumped off the purple canyon walls, their attacks deflecting each other's. Their battle drifted down back into the area where Sora had fought over a thousand heartless during the heartless invasion. Sora turned around to look at the Heartless castle. "Hold on guys, we're on our way," he said as he started to run towards the castle, Riku and Kairi close behind them.

"What do you think?" Samen asked Axel.

"Look, right now all I care about is getting the two back to the way they used to be. And I know all you're thinking about is the future of Kingdom Hearts."

Samen nodded slowly. "True. I shall explain them in time, but now, I leave you to go with them."

"What?"

"My place is not here, and you know that. Besides, I am not an adjudicate fighter. I will return when you send the signal. If it is after or before want you want happens, I don't care. Just make sure when the four are together I can explain it all at once."

Samen started to walk off, a portal appearing before him. "Hey Samen!" Axel yelled to him.

The masked man turned to look at Axel. "You think they survived. You think the rest of them could have ended up like me?"

Samen pondered. "I doubt it, but I shall look into that detail. I only of five that are trying to get to Kingdom Hearts, but there could be more. Be a shield to them Axel, for both of our reasons."

Samen than walked into the portal, disappearing to somewhere else, leaving Axel by himself. The Flurry of Dancing Flames sighed. "You're one weird existence dude. But, you're right."

Axel than ran off after the three keyblade wielders and the Heartless Castle.

* * *

Kind of short, but it was a quick chapter. For those of you wondering, yes the heroes will go to Disney worlds and meet Disney characters, my story just has a long into, that's all. Please give reviews on how you think my writing skills are doing as well as how good the story is in general. Thanks.

_Dezblade_


	7. 6: Into the Castle

Chapter 6: Into the Castle

The three keyblade wielders and the Flurry of Dancing Flames soon made it into the Heartless Castle, surprisingly without being stopped by nay heartless. "Riku, you know anything about this place?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, I was here once. Maleficent wanted this place to work as a heartless factory, but it never succeeded. She used as an entry point for heartless before, but now it's her castle since the Restoration Committee fixed up the real castle here."

"So which way do we go?" Kairi asked.

"They'll most likely be in the either the eastern tower, western tower, or even the dungeon."

"I take it that means we split up?" Axel asked.

"I don't like the idea, but we need to make sure that they're all alright," said Sora.

"I'll head to the Western Tower. It's got a special darkness that I can get past," Riku said.

"I'll take the other dungeon," Axel volunteered. "I don't like fighting in high above the ground too much."

"So me and Sora head for the Eastern Tower?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, but be careful. There are two stairwells over there. Take the one that has a sturdier staircase, and another that'll fall apart."

"We can handle it," Sora said confidently, as he and Kairi headed off to the right.

"You sure about this?" Axel said.

"Positive," Riku said. "To tell you the truth though, I don't completely trust you."

Axel shrugged. "I'm used to it. Just look at what happened to the Organization. No one could trust each other. After all, you know about what happened at Castle Oblivion."

Riku slowly nodded. "Yeah, I do know."

Axel then did a mock salute with one of his chakrams. "I'll see you later than. Expect a heartless free dungeon in a little bit," and he ran off towards a central staircase that led down. Riku sighed, slightly shaking his head and headed off to the left.

*****

Sora and Kairi ran through the large dark castle when a group of shadow heartless soon rose from the floor. "Heartless!" Kairi said, summoning her keyblade.

"Let's get 'em!" Sora said summoning his own keyblade and attacking one of the shadows.

There must have been about twenty of them, but Sora jumped and swiped through most of them, small hearts coming from ones defeated. Kairi stuck to ground attacks, as well as a few magic spells. Soon, the heartless were gone. "You've gotten a lot better Kairi," Sora said.

"Well, I have good teachers," she said, giving a small smile.

Sora thought he might have blushed for a second, but then heard a loud noise. He turned around to see Large Body heartless slowly advancing towards them. "Oh great, I hate these giant fatsos," Sora said.

Apparently, the Heartless didn't like being called this and began to attack. Sora quickly ran around behind one and began to swipe his keyblade at it's back. Kairi fought a second one by sending spells of blizzard and lightning at it. Both heartless were soon gone, but Sora than saw one more shadow sneaking up behind Kairi. He quickly ran and swung his keyblade downwards saving Kairi from being attacked. The shadow than disappeared. Sora than turned around to look at Kairi. "Careful Kairi. These things start to surprise you when you're guard's off," he said.

Kairi then saw a great heartless come out of nowhere, one she had never seen before. All she knew was that it was going to swipe a claw at Sora's back. She than quickly pushed Sora out of the way, pointed her keyblade at the thing, and yelled a spell neither of them had heard before. "AURURA!"

A beam of light shot out from Kairi's keyblade and hit the dark being, it's clawed hand reacting back in pain. It then disappeared back into a portal of darkness leaving the two alone. "Kairi, how did you do that?" Sora asked.

Kairi just looked kind of dazed. "I don't know. It just kind of came to me. I saw that thing about to attack to you, and it just happened."

"Is that happened when you were fighting Riku back at home?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, it did," Kairi said, except there was a different feeling than that."

"Well, you must just be getting some good battle reactions, that's all. Having the keyblade really makes you stronger in several ways. Now let's go find those stairs Riku was talking about."

* * *

Sorry about not updating, I've been busy. This is short while the next chapters going to be REALLY LONG. So if you don't see a new update, you know why. Expect the next chapter in two or three days.

Oh, and write some reviews. I want to know how I'm doing.

_Dezbalde_


	8. 7: Bombing the Party

Chapter 7: Bombing the Party

Sora and Kairi found the two staircases, both witch spiraled into the tower above them. "Well, which one do you think we should take?" Sora asked.

Kairi slowly stepped on the one to the right. The stairs didn't move. This one seems sturdy enough."

They climbed for about five stories, Sora right behind Kairi. Sora could see the staircase come to an end as it ended at a trapdoor in the ceiling. "Just about there," Sora said.

Than without warning, the stairs began to wobble. "What's going on?" Kairi asked, frightened.

"Quick! To the trapdoor!" Sora yelled as they ran for it.

The stairs seemed to have lost all their structure as below the staircase began to crumble into nothing. They reached the trapdoor as the stairs beneath them fell apart. Sora quickly swung his keyblade sticking it into the ceiling, his other arm reaching out and grabbing Kairi by her arm. Kairi screamed when her feet began to dangle in the air, realizing she was hanging more than five stories off the ground, Sora's keyblade being the only thing keeping them from falling. "Kairi! Hold on!" Sora yelled.

"Sora! I'm losing my grip!" Kairi yelled in fright.

Suddenly, the trapdoor above them opened, and an arm came out and grabbed Sora by his collar. "What the-"

With extreme strength, the arm pulled both Sora and Kairi onto solid ground onto the floor above them. Dazed, Sora looked at their rescuer. "So, it seems as if you still need a bodyguard. Perhaps it was destined that I came here."

*****

Axel ran through the dungeon, his chakrams slicing through heartless, and bursts of fire destroying other ones. It was just like old times, he thought to himself as he lit the last heartless ablaze. Back when Roxas and he…

Axel paused for a moment. Roxas. Probably the only friend he had in the Organization. The only one he could trust. His past endeavors with Sora's nobody was probably the times when he felt whole; like he had a heart. Technically now, he wasn't a nobody now, but he wasn't whole either. His heart still missing, but he now had regained his soul. If it was the same with Roxas, he wanted to find him again. Sometimes Roxas was the only one that kept him going. If he could find Roxas again, maybe he could relax a bit. "Yeah right," he murmured to himself as he walked through a door. "Since whenever has your life has it ever been relaxed?"

He then got a shock once looking in the new room. He saw six people lying on the floor, none of them moving. He quickly ran over to one of them, an old man with a long beard. He checked his pulse. Yeah, they guy was just unconscious. "Great," he said to himself.

He then heard an odd noise. He looked around for a moment, and realized it was coming from a small gray sphere that one person had next to them. Axel picked up the sphere as the continuing beeping noise came from it. He turned it over to see a small screen on the thing, five numbers on it changing rapidly. He realized it was a countdown. A countdown to a bomb. He swore underneath his breath, realizing he and the keyblade wielders only had minutes to get out of the castle, alive that is. He then saw the figure next to the bomb stir and slowly rise up to his feet. He had brown hair, and an odd looking blade in his right hand. "Well someone woke up?" Axel said.

The figure looked at him. "Who are you?"

"More importantly who are you? The Restoration Committee?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Look, there's no time. Not according to this thing at least," Axel said throwing the bomb to the man.

He caught it in his left hand and looked at it. "It's a darkness bomb. We've got get out of here, now!"

"Like I said, but your friends look like they'd rather sleep."

"Someone in a weird blue cloak," the man said as he tried waking up next the woman next to him.

"How'd he put you to sleep?" Axel asked, thinking he knew a solution.

"He sent some kind of gas on us. Come on Arieth, wake up!" the man said to the woman.

Axel then held his charklams in front of him, a fire building up inside him. "FIRE!" Axel yelled spinning his weapons in the air.

The flaming charklams flew in the air, burning what was left of the gas in the air in the room. Soon, all the members of the Restoration Committee were awake, although somewhat sleepy. "What in world…" said a man with blonde hair and goggles.

"How'd you know," the man with brown hair asked.

"I've run into this kind of situation before," Axel said catching his weapons. "Hey! All of you! I suggest we all high tail it out of here before that bomb goes off. Plus we've got to find Sora and the others."

"You know Sora?" said a young girl ninja.

"Yeah, we're old pals. But right now, we don't have time for Q and A. Come on, let's get going!"

*****

Riku sneaked down the hallway, for he heard voices not far from where he was. If he remembered correctly, he was near the large hall the Maleficent had set up as a crude meeting room. He could now hear some of the conversations clearly now as he neared a large double door. "And that's why we're all here," Riku heard the witch say.

"Hmmm…I like the sound of this. These heartless could come quite in handy. They could get my rank up over that idiot!"

"I'd like to experiment on a few of them myself. I could enhance them a lot more back at the lab."

"Maleficent, I'm the only one here's who's worked with you so far and survived. This had better be good this time!"

"That's because you're a freak on fire, Hades."

"Look who's talking, octopus!"

"Oh, will you all just shut your mouths for a minute!"

"Enough!"

Silence came from the door as Riku summoned Road to Dawn, ready to strike. "Now if we don't stay organized, you'll end up like the rest of the fools who thought they could control the heartless!"

Suddenly, a beeping noise came from inside! "Argh! The security's been breached! Someone's in the castle!" said a voice Riku hadn't heard yet, but it didn't matter.

He kicked the doors open and jumped to land on the end of the table that the villains were meeting at. "I'm sorry, I believe I'm late to the party."

"Riku?" Maleficent said in slight surprise sitting at the head of the table.

"What are you doing here?" said Pete, sounding alarmed and scared.

The other people (okay to be exact only one of them was a human being, but you catch my drift) that were at the meeting had vanished in various forms of portals, except for one that looked like a humanoid lizard that ran through a back door of the room. "It's been a while, witch," Riku said.

"I'll admit this was something I didn't expect, especially considering what a failure you were. Your heart has always been too weak. How you managed to get this far has surpassed my imagination. Perhaps you've wanted to return to the darkness?" Maleficent said as she rose from her seat and tossed a ball of dark energy at Riku.

Riku just simply blocked it with his keyblade and swiped it in warning. "My darkness is my own, and no one will ever control me again."

A large explosion than went off shaking the entire tower. Riku then looked above to see a dark chandelier above him start to fall. He quickly jumped out of the way before he was crushed, and the witch took the moment to disappear. "What did you do to the castle kid?" Pete yelled.

"Pete! Get him out of the castle at all costs!" Riku heard Maleficent's voice ring throughout the room.

"That's right Riku. And no one messes with the mighty Pete!" Pete yelled as he charged across the room at Riku.

He simply stepped to the side quickly as Pete charged past him and ran into a wall. "How in the world did Maleficent think you could work for her?" Riku chuckled to himself.

"Ohhhh, I'll get you!" Pete yelled when turned back to face him.

Pete then summoned two odd orbs in his hand and threw them across the floor at Riku. Riku jumped over one of them and swatted the other one away from him. He then saw Pete now had a similar orb around himself. "Ha! Pete's invincible!"

"Not for long."

Riku than ran over to the orb and slammed his keyblade with all his strength at the orb around Pete. The sphere took off slamming into wall after wall, Pete spinning all over in his invincibility sphere. Riku then fired Dark Fiagra at Pete, sending him into the air and making his shield disappear. He than landed on the floor face first. "How you control the heartless is a wonder," Riku jested.

Pete got back to his feet. "Oh, you just wait till next time you keyblade punk. I'll show who the real master is!"

With that, Pete ran off, no doubt to wherever Maleficent was hiding. Riku decided not to chase after the moron, and decided to investigate what had caused the explosion.

*****

The floor shook beneath the three as an explosion sounded, parts of the wall seeming to creak and crack. "What's going on?" Kairi asked.

"Apparently someone knows of us being here. Come, we must get out of here quickly," Auron said

"So Auron, why are you here in the first place?" Sora asked as they ran down a stable staircase.

"A man in a mask told me I was in need in another world from an old friend of mine. I guess he was talking about you."

"Samen?" Kairi asked.

"It could have been, but I wouldn't know why?" Sora said.

They ran down the staircase and came on the main floor when another explosion went off, the sound coming louder from a door in front of them. "This looks bad," Sora said summoning the Kingdom Key.

"Be prepared to fight," Auron said as he swung his sword knocking down the door.

The room was catastrophic. Scorch marks were all over the walls, some sections of walls missing. On the far end of the room was a large crystal looking container, a shadowy shape on the inside of it. Next to was a man setting a third bomb, but Sora and Kairi recognized him. "Balthier?" Kairi said, astonished.

The sky pirate looked up at them. "Well, well, two keyblade wielders again, although I don't know your friend?"

"What are you doing? You're shaking the entire castle?" Sora said.

"What does it matter? It belongs to the heartless after all."

"Maybe because we're in here?" Kairi said.

"Though that may be true, getting her out is very important matter."

Sora could now see a female figure in the crystal. "Who is that?" he asked.

"Why are you trying to free a Vierra?" Auron asked.

"A what?" Kairi asked.

"Her name's Fran, and someone captured her. She's the friend I mentioned to you three earlier when we landed here. My partner to be more exact."

"So, that's really the only reason you came here?" Kairi said. "You were worried about your friend?"

"Most sky pirates only get to have a friend in life. Some only have enemies. I'm considered one of the lucky ones."

"Because you've got your pathetic friends and enemies!"

Sora turned around to see a humanoid lizard walking towards them, a large saw circle on the end of a rod in its hands. "Balthier! I knew if I got your pitiful friend and lured here I could finally get you turned in for that price on your head. But now with the heartless on my side, I think you'd make a perfect dark being, along with you weak friend in the crystal!"

"Ba'Gamnan, don't you ever learn that being such crazed headhunter that you'd get a price on your own head," Balthier said.

"Head hunter?" Kairi asked.

"So this is Ba'Gamnan, the bangaa that once hunted outlaws only to become one himself. I've heard of these rumors for over the past months. And now he sides with the heartless and opposes us. All of your decisions have sent you on the wrong path," Auron said.

The Bangaa laughed. "Don't try to be telling me some wise advice old man. This is between Balthier and me. I'll leave you three to deal with the heartless."

Ba'Gamnan then slammed his Ba'Gamnansaw on the ground, and a large group Neoshadow heartless rose from the ground and started towards Sora, Kairi, and Auron. Auron slashed his sword twice, only hitting the heartless backwards. "These heartless seem somewhat stronger," Auron said.

"Well they can't take all of us!"

Sora looked towards the door they had come through to see Riku, Axel, Leon, and all the others at the doorway. "Guys!" Sora yelled.

"No time! We've got to get out of here before the place blows!" Axel said as they all charged at the heartless.

Sora looked between the heartless, Balthier and Ba'Gamnan battling, and Fran in the crystal. It could work, but only if she did it. "Kairi! You need to unlock the crystal!"

"What?" Kairi said as she slashed at a Neoshadow.

"If Axel's right, we gotta save Fran fast. You have to unlock the crystal with the keyblade!"

"Sora, I don't think I can," Kairi said as she used a thunder spell to kill a heartless.

"Kairi, I know you can do it, just try!" Sora said swiping through two Neoshadows at once.

Auron then jumped next to Kairi as swept through five heartless, five hearts floating up into the air. "Sora's right. Go. I will take care of these."

Kairi quickly ran to the crystal and pointed her keyblade at it. A small keyhole appeared on the crystal. Kairi then swung her keyblade around in a circle and aimed for the opening. A beam shot out from Blossoming Heart and shot into the keyhole as a clicking noise sounded. Then the crystal shimmered and disappeared, Fran falling to the floor unconscious. Than a man with blonde hair, goggles and a spear in hand ran up next to her. "Kairi, is it not?" said the man.

"Yeah?"

"Name's Cid. Let's get her out of this mess. There's a bomb in here and it'll go off soon."

The two left the battlefield followed by Aerith as the others continued to fight the heartless. Soon Sora came jumped over a Neoshadow and landed next to Ba'Gamnan. "Well, if it isn't a clever young hume?" the headhunter muttered.

"This ends now! Sora said swinging the keyblade at the bangaa.

Its saw weapon blocked the blow, but Balthier's gun had fired well. Ba'Gamnan stepped backwards holding a hand over it's right shoulder. "You may have nicked my sky pirate, but we will settle our score another time!"

With that, the headhunter vanished in a dark portal laving no trace behind. "I suppose I should thank you," Balthier said.

"Later! We have to clear this place, NOW!" Axel said running for the door.

Everyone ran out of the castle running back towards Radiant Garden as the bomb in the dungeon reached its last ten seconds. In a moment, the heartless castle was swallowed up in an explosion of fire and darkness, ceasing to ever exist what it used to be.

* * *

Fran- A Vierra, fellow sky pirate and friend of Balthier. She uses a bow with great aim to fight. She was captured by Maleficent trying to break her into the darkness. Fran first Appeared in Final Fantasy XII.

Ba'Gamnan- A headhunter bangaa that has always tried to hunt down Balthier and Fran, and now works for Maleficent. He commands a great amount of Heartless and fights using a variety of magic and his Ba'Gamnansaw. Ba'Gamnan first appeared in Final fantasy XII.

No I'm not dead, i've just been really busy lately. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but probably not soon either. i'm sorry it's really slow. Please give reviews. If you want really short chapters, however, I might be able to update more often. Thanks as always.

_Dezblade_


	9. 8: Reunited

Chapter 8: Reunited

They ran and soon caught up to Kairi, Cid, Aerith, and Fran, who was still unconscious. "She's not holding up good, is she?" Riku said.

"Fran's a fighter. She'll survive. We just need get her somewhere where she can't be disturbed," Baltheir said.

"I could take her back to her headquarters in a jiffy," Merlin the wizard offered.

"That would be great, but I'm not leaving her side."

Fran then awoke with a start; her piercing red eyes wide open. "The Mist!" she yelled.

Kairi drew back in surprise when the vierra awoke, but Baltheir grabbed her by her shoulder. "Fran? Can you hear me?"

She began to breath deeply, but she nodded her head. She than spoke in an odd voice. "I was surrounded by the Mist, it was draining my strength, and it just faded away."

"That was the crystal you were trapped in," Sora said.

Fran than winced in pain. "What now?" Leon asked.

"The Mist, it returns, but it is different, and thick."

Then an explosion went off, sending crystals from the canyon to fall from the edges nearly on top of the group. Everyone held up their weapons, trying to block the large amount of crystals from impaling them. Then two figure jumped over the canyon above them, both of them swirling their swords at each other. "It's Cloud and Sephiroth!" Sora said.

"You mean to tell me those two are still at it?" Axel said.

"Their fight doesn't concern us," Baltheir said.

"Doesn't concern us! Well that's a load of crap!" Cid said.

"Look, you may not care about Cloud, but we all stand by his side," said Tifa.

"Yeah. We're all in it together!" said Yuffie.

"Look, you guys go see Cloud. I'll help Sora and the others," Leon said.

"I will stay as well," said Auron.

"Promise to be safe?" Aerith asked.

"Of course," Sora reassured her.

With that, Cid, Aerith, Tifa, and Yuffie headed off towards the direction that Cloud and Sephiroth went. "Well, that leaves us," Merlin said.

"How far is it to you headquarters?" Baltheir asked, helping Fran stand by having her arm around his neck in a one man fireman carry.

"It's a bit of a walk from here actually," Leon said. "You think you can carry her yourself?"

"I'll be fine," Fran said. "I can walk the distance."

The eight walked among the wilderness of rock and canyons with Radiant Garden on the horizon coming closer within view. Sora walked behind the group making sure that Baltheir and Fran were okay, neither one of them speaking that much. Kairi than walked up to Sora. "Hey, Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"You remember Namine and Roxas, right?"

"Yeah, what about them?" Sora asked, lowering his voice hoping Axel wouldn't overhear them.

"Last night before we left the islands, I had this weird dream. I was on this giant pillar, and Namine walked onto it. She said has come back."

Sora showed a facial expression of shock and puzzlement. "Really? I had, like the same thing except with Roxas."

"That's pretty weird."

"Yeah, defiantly."

"What do you think they mean?"

"I don't know. Since they've returned to us, we're one now, right?"

"That's what I got. So, how do they return?"

Kairi's question was never answered because a portal opened in front of the group. Everyone drew his or her weapons except for Baltheir and Fran who just stayed back a bit. Axel's weapons were already burning. "Get ready, this could be bad news."

Then two figures came flying through the air, both of them knocking Axel. "SON OF A-" Axel said before one of the figure landed on top of his face.

"Opps! Gw'ash, sorry about that," said the dog/thing.

"Donald! Goofy!" Sora said running over helping the two off Axel who was swearing under his breath.

"It's been a while," Auron said.

"Auron?" Donald said.

Axel got up, and Goofy recognized him. "Axel?" he said.

"Yeah, me. Seems you remember," Axel said getting up.

Another figure flew through the portal knocking into Kairi. "Oh! I'm sorry Kairi, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Your majesty!" said Riku.

King Mickey nodded. "Hiya Riku."

The last figure walked through the portal as it closed behind him. "I see we all made it back safely," said Samen.

Leon raised their blade at Samen, not knowing who he was. "Relax, he's with us," Sora said.

"Really?" Leon asked.

"I mean no harm, but under the circumstances, it seemed that his majesty and his loyal subjects were needed at the time," said Samen.

"Right you were Samen," said the King.

"You know Samen?" Riku asked.

The King whispered to him. "Welp, I'm not so sure. He told us you couldn't quite get to us and he could take us to you three, and he was right. Still, it feels like we've met sometime before."

"It looks like some is hurt," Samen said referring to Fran.

"She'll be alright, just some rest. Best thing a sky pirate can ask after a long day," Baltheir said.

"Perhaps I could help," Samen said holding out his hand, and they all disappeared in a bright flash of light.

Pete watched from a cliff above. "Well, Maleficent will want to know about this."

*****

When Sora could see again, he realized that they were all in Merlin's house. "Just how did you learn to master that magic?" Merlin asked Samen.

"Someone taught it to me long ago," Samen said sitting on a wooden chair.

"Why'd you leave us to go to the castle anyways?" Riku asked as Baltheir set Fran down on a bed.

"I'm not a fighter. I figured you four could handle yourselves. Finding your friends I thought would be additional help."

"And how do you know this much about all of us?" Sora said.

"It seems that we've got some explaining to do, including our existence," Axel said.

"Yes, it does. Well, I think his majesty can explain some of this as well, considering he sent the sky pirate to find you three anyways."

"You really can't keep your business to yourself, can you?" Baltheir said.

Samen sighed. "Fine, well you all better get comfortable. I'm going to take you someplace to explain everything going on."

A bright flash emitted from Samen's hand again, this time the light split into several rays hitting Sora, Riku, Kairi, King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Axel. They all disappeared leaving Leon, Merlin, Auron, Baltheir, and Fran. "What do you think of him Leon?" Merlin asked him.

"I don't know. It seems that Sora and the King trust him, but nothing else more. Whatever it is, I don't like it. Especially if Maleficent is involved," the Gunblade wielder said as he sat at the computer in the house.

Auron than went for the door. "Where you going?" Baltheir asked.

"Sora and his friends are fine. The others chased off their friend and his enemy. I must see that they make it through," and Auron left.

"Humph, everyone here's a hero," Baltheir said to himself.

* * *

Sorry I haven't updated. I'm not dead, I've just been really busy and stressed. THe next chapter will be long, lots of explaining and revealing the plot for the story. I don't know when it'll be up. Sorry it's taking so while. Thank yoy all for writing reviews, signing this up for favorites and everything.

I'll update when I can. Thanks always for reading.

_Dezblade_


	10. 9: The Paths of the Crossroad

Chapter 9: The Paths of the Crossroad

Sora opened his eyes, and he realized he was outside in the middle of a grass field. It was night, a galore of stars hanging into the sky. He looked down to see he was standing on a dirt path in the field. Where he stood in the path went in four directions: forward, backwards, left, and right. He saw Riku to his left, Kairi to his right, the King in front of him, each of them about five feet away. Goofy, Donald, and Axel were all standing in the grass and Samen was standing next to Sora. "Where are we?" Sora asked.

"All of you have been here before, in one way or another," Samen said.

"I don't remember this place?" Donald said.

"I just said you've been here, not that you would remember," Samen replied to the duck.

"I thought this place didn't exist anymore," Axel said.

"Most of it doesn't, where we stand is what is left because it cannot be destroyed that easily."

"I know what you mean about some of us not remembering, but Kairi's never been her?" Riku said.

"True, but Namine, her nobody, was."

"What?" Kairi said.

"Ok, I'm really lost here," Sora said. "This place seems…familiar, but I sure don't remember it."

"It is irrelevant to whether you remember it or not, what is relevant is what I am about to explain to you.

"This place where you stand is the Crossroad," Samen began to explain, "a place like no other in existence. It was created more than a thousand years ago by the keyblade forgers. They each forged a keyblade for each self to once fight an enormous power far beyond what any of you have ever fought combined. Yet in order to do so, they had to make creatures like the Heartless and Nobodies."

"So you mean the first keyblade weilders created the Heartless?" Goofy said.

"Not created, but made them possible. Back then, how heartless were created, as well as nobodies, it was the same. The difference was all the Heartless and Nobodies were one single being known as the Raeth. It destroyed worlds of every kind, nothing could stop it. In the end, few existed. So, five brave people forged the first keyblades. Each keyblade wielder had a special attribute to them. Light, Darkness, Twighlight, Dawn, and the Leader. They used the combined might of their keyblades to take down the Raeth, but yet the thing could never be killed. It kept growing from more and more hearts giving up to the darkness. So, the Keyblade forgers created the Crossroad with their power, and they trapped the beast within it, preventing it from ever coming out again. The result are the heartless and nobodies. They are small figments of the Raeth that can escape the prison. So all along you have been fighting different forms of the Raeth, each one unique and with its own powers. Some were very weak, some were very strong. All of you faced great perils among your different journeys. The keyblade forgers afterwards lost their own paths, each one going a different way. Some became enemies of each other and fought. The Leader, the first chosen one of the keyblade, wished to stop the madness and made it possible that only one person could be the chosen wielder of the keyblade. But he knew something might happen in the future, something might go wrong. So, he forged several more keyblades, the reason your own and several others exist. Among the other keyblades he created a document to a future chosen master of the keyblade. Instruction on how to reverse on what they had created should something grave happen."

"Wait, why would you want to reverse that? I mean, don't we want to keep the Raeth trapped?" said the King.

"Yeah, I'm all for that," Sora said.

"Well, I should explain some more. You see, the keyblade forgers couldn't trap the Raeth on their own. They needed a kind of power that was far beyond the Raeth's strength. And so, they used power given to them by Kingdom Hearts. Because Kingdom Hearts has and will always exist, so will the Crossroad, for they are connected. But as the Leader guessed, something unexplainable happened. Something that appeared after his death. The Soulz."

"The what?" Kairi asked.

"You already know how the heartless are created. It happens when someone loses their heart and they become one of the darkness. A nobody is the body left behind, an empty shell. The nobodies, on most occasions, fade back into darkness. However, a small amount of nobodies or heartless still had one thing with them that most didn't: their soul. These heartless or nobodies still knew of things that happened in their past life, such as the members of Organization XIII. The souls of these beings would fade into darkness as well over time. But some souls were or became too strong for the darkness. They became their own kind of being: the Soulz. Axel and I are two examples of them."

Axel nodded in agreement. "He's right. Apparently my original self had quite an impressive soul to last this far. But what about you Samen; I never learned about your past. Does you past include anything of help for us?"

Samen was silent, but shook his head. "So you mean we have to fight Organization XIII again?" said Riku.

"Nope!" said the King.

Sora turned to the king mouse. "How'd you know?'

"It's the reason I sent for you three. There's some group out there causing trouble, five or six powerful Soulkz. They're known as the Seekers. But, it can't be the organization because they're only six of them at the most!"

"That makes sense," Donald said.

"Unfortunately you're wrong," Axel said.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"Some of these 'Seekers' were once members of the Organization. I know this because they tried to get me to join them."

"Which ones?" Riku asked.

"I only know one, he just said that other members survived. The other's souls had completely faded away. They have a leader of some sort, but who I don't know."

"But you said there were six Seekers, yet only some were part of the organization," Kairi said.

"The others are other Soulz, but their identities is such a mystery to us as it is to you," said Samen. "However, is seems from the investigations Axel and I performed, it seems they wish to free the Raeth and cause chaos. Their motive is also a mystery, so they must be stopped."

"And the way to stop them is with the Crossroad," Sora concluded.

"Absolutely. I have also searched for the directions, but it seems they are in pieces scattered across the world."

"So we have to go around and find those directions then!" Goofy said.

"Well, do we have any leads?" Sora asked.

Samen then took something from his robe. It was an ancient looking scroll, bits and pieces of it torn in several places. "I give what I have found of the Royal Scroll."

"Wait a minute, that's the thing Sephiroth was looking for!" Sora said.

"So he's involved as well?" Riku said.

"Apparently so, but there is more to find than the pieces to the Royal Scroll that must be found," said Samen.

"What?" Kairi asked.

"Although there are holes, this is a theory I have reached. Just as to affect the Crossroad 1,000 years ago, we need five keyblade weilders that walk separate paths."

Samen then pointed at Sora. "The one who is the Leader: the Keyblade's chosen one. Sora: the key that connects everything."

He turned to King Mickey. "The one that walks the path of light. You have used the keyblade when always it was needed."

He turned to Riku. "The one who walks the path of Dawn. A young man who once was an agent of the darkness, but uses it now for the purpose of light. You have been the only one to walk this path since the formation of the Crossroad."

He turned to Kairi. "The one walks the path of Twighlight. Your history has made you a keyblade bearer in this path. One who had a nobody but no heartless, a Princess of Heart, and at one time your heart and soul traveled with another. You are brave, keep your courage."

He than turned to the empty path, but didn't speak. "We have to find some how wields a keyblade but also walks in the darkness?" Sora asked.

"So it seems so. Like I have said, this is all a theory. There may be another way, but this cannot be for certain until we find all the pieces of the Royal Scroll."

"Well, it looks like we're on another quest!" Goofy said.

"Except we're all together this time," Kairi said.

"Axel," Samen said turning to the Flurry of Dancing Flames, "I wish for you to go with them. They will need all the help they can get."

"Funny, I was going to go with them whether you liked it or not," Axel said.

"You were?" Riku asked crossing his arms.

"I've been looking for someone. Perhaps I'll find him on the way coming with you."

Sora nodded his head and looked at Samen. "Why do you want to do this? Tell us all about this? I mean, someone could find out about this and not say anything."

Samen looked at them all. "All I want is that everything is right and that mistakes can be forgiven."

A bright light flashed, and Sora realized they were all back in Merlin's house, except for Samen. "Why does he always leave us?" Kairi asked.

"I've been asking myself that same question for a while now," Axel said.

"Say, where is everybody?" Sora asked.

Just than the door to the house slammed open and Cloud stepped through. "Cloud!" Sora said. "What happened with you and-"

"We'll worry about that later, we've got a problem."

"What do you mean?" Donald said.

"Something not heartless or nobody."

Axel summoned his chakrams. "Soulz. Somehow they know we're here. Or at least I'm here."

Sora summoned the Kingdom Key. "Well, let's show them what we're made of!"

Yes, now you have an idea of what is to come in the story, but there are still plenty of secrets to be revealed. As for the Organization members, the first member to be revealed will be in the next chapter as well.

_Dezblade_


	11. 10: Cold Soul

Chapter 10: Cold Soul

They all ran outside with their weapons drawn to see Soulz. "These are the Soulz?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, be careful around these things, these are Sprayers. They like long range and fleeing, so be quick," Axel said.

The Sprayers, as Axel called them, were human sized creatures with small metallic looking wings with large heads and small eyes. They were all bronzed colored and seemed to emitting a golden liquid from their mouths and spreading it across the town. The bodies were smooth and shiny reflecting the sun's rays off it's body. One of them turned to see Sora and company with weapons, and blasted an bronze ball of energy from it's mouth. Cloud jumped over the blast of energy as the rest of the group sidestepped out of the way. Cloud's sword came down on the creature bringing it to the ground. The thing made a weird noise as it transformed into a small ball and disappeared. The other Sprayers did not seem happy with this and attacked as well.

Kairi blocked a blast sending it back at the thing, only to slip in some of the muck that the Sprayers were spreading. "What is this stuff?" she asked realizing that has just ruined her clothes.

"It's some sort of saliva, or something else?" Axel said.

Kairi than looked shocked. "Are you saying that this is puke?"

Axel shrugged. "Don't know and I don't want know."

Riku than fired Dark Fiagra over Kairi's head saving her from another Soulkz blast. "Kairi, worry about your clothes later. These things are trying to kill us!"

Sora and the King than swiped through two Sprayers as Donald and Goofy worked together to take down another. This really meant Donald running acting as bait and Goofy throwing his shield. "Hold on Donald!" Goofy said as he threw his shield and it went through the Soulz, putting it's soul at peace.

"About time you big palooka!" Donald said.

Cloud meanwhile had just taken care of ten of them single handed without getting a scratch. "Sora. I've got to find the others. Can you take these things?"

"No problem," Sora said as he swept his keyblade through another Sprayer.

Cloud than ran off slashing through one as he went. "Sora! Do you see that?" the King said as his keyblade went through another Soulz.

Sora turned to see a Sprayer, but this one was blue instead of bronze, and had larger wings making it seem like a humanoid dragon. "What do you think your majesty?"

"Whelp, I'm not sure, but I think we should chase after it."

"Consider it done," said Axel rushing past the two.

"Axel!" said Sora surprised as the ex-member of the organization ran past them.

Axel paid no attention to Sora but continued on after the blue Soulz. Noticing it was being chased, the Soulz flee on its wings in the air. "Oh no you don't," Axel said as he chased it out of Radiant Garden towards the ruins outside.

He soon came across it in a clearing among the rubble, his chakrams flying lit ablaze trying to chip the beings' wings. After a few tries, Axel finally hit the blue Sprayer and it fell to the ground. Axel than brought a fire ball to his hand and threw it at the creature. Before the fire ball hit the dazed creature on the ground, a shield appeared out of thin air stopping the fire ball in its tracks. "The hell?"

The shield was blue with spikes around it and came in a somewhat diamond looking shape. Axel then remembered where he had seen the shield last. "So, you're one of the survivors, Vexen."

The Chilly Academic revealed himself from behind the shield, his blonde hair behind his head over a blue organization coat. "Axel, I'd never thought I'd see the day I faced my murderer."

"Castle Oblivion…good times, huh?" Axel said.

"What you define as a good time is nonsense. We could have overthrown the Organization and have the keyblade master under control, recreate Kingdom Hearts, and become whole again. And what did you do? Completely ruin our plans!" Vexen spoke in a calm yet poisoned voice.

"Well, it was the only way from keeping myself alive. Besides, Namine would have spilled the beans at one point anyway. Or the real Riku instead of your fake."

"Fake? Are you referring to Riku's nobody?"

"Wait a minute, so you're telling me your 'replica' was actually Riku's nobody?"

"That's right. I found him wondering the darkness, although it was unique that he looked exactly like his original self."

"So you turned Sora against Riku's nobody, interesting."

"He could have been another member of the Organization, but your plans ruined everything Axel."

The blue Sprayer than glided around Vexen. "What's that?" Vexen said, appearing to communicate with the Soulkz. "Sora, Riku, and the blasted other ones here?" Vexen turned back to Axel. "So know you've sided with the keyblade bearers. How amusing. Considering they'll be defeated by us."

Axel gave a small laugh. "Hello Vexen? Last I checked, Sora defeated all of the Organization, including you. And you nearly killed him and Roxas by bringing him to the artificial Twighlight Town."

"He had the right, as did Roxas, but neither was told. And now they are one, are they not?"

"Axel!"

Axel quickly turned to see Sora running up to them, his keyblade gripped tightly. "Ah, so the keyblade weilder comes to see his pyro friend," said Vexen.

"Why don't you shut your trap and go back to your chemistry sets!" Axel said.

Sora ran up. "Who's this guy?" he asked.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself," he said raising his shield.

He than took the shield, splitting it into to pieces and attaching them on his arms. Icicle sharp blades then slid out from the blades as pillars of ice surrounded Axel and Sora. "I once was number IV of Organization XIII, Vexen co-leader of the Seekers. Axel killed my nobody self and I am here to return the favor. Now Sora, shall you watch or join in his death?"

"I don't know who you are but you've messed with the wrong guys!" Sora said readied himself.

* * *

Vexen- a.k.a. The Blue Coated Seeker. Former member IV of the Organization, Vexen's nobody self fell to Sora and than Axel in Castle Oblivion. He has returned as a Soulz, and is co-leader of the mysterious group known as the Seekers. He Shield has now become two arm shields with icicle blades sticking out from the shields. He can also know effect the temperature in an area. He first appeared in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

For those of you who didn't play chain of memories, this was probably confusing. Big fight scene coming up soon as well as two new characters. Expect the next chapter a long one meaning it'll be a while before I update.

_Dezblade_


	12. 11: Absolute Zero

Chapter 11: Absolute Zero

Axel ran forward jumping into the air with his arms crossed, chakrams lit ablaze. He swung downwards with his fiery weapons, but they were deflected by Vexen's icy arm shields. "You can't fathom how long it took for me to modify my shield Axel," Vexen said as he swung one of his ice blades from his right arm shield.

Sora jumped in the way with his keyblade blocking the blow. "It's going to take more than swords and shields to defeat us!"

Vexen spread his arms out as streams of ice flew to the ground causing the ground to be completely covered with ice. While this was happening, the blue sprayer staying behind Vexen came in front of him blasting chunks of ice and snow from its mouth at Axel. "You take care of the grunt! This is between me and Vexen!" Axel said as he swung his chakrams at the Chilly Academic.

Sora jumped at the sprayer striking it on the neck with the keyblade. The neck made of living ice snapped off from its body and fell to the icy ground with a crash, the body landing next to it, only to have the neck grow back from shards of ice on the ground making its neck even longer expanding its range. The blue sprayer than began boulder sized mounds at Sora rapidly like a machine gun. Sora couldn't evade them all and was soon buried by the large amount of snow. "FIRAGRA! FIRAGRA!"

Streaks of fire flew around Sora melting most of the snow around him as he slowly got up and shook the rest off. He than saw both the sprayer and Vexen teaming up on Axel, the only thing preventing the snow or ice reaching being a large ring of fire. Sora aimed and swung his keyblade in a strike raid as the keyblade cut cleanly through the sprayer. "Axel! Burn it!"

Axel spun his chakrams around the Soulkz and a pillar of flame erupted from the ground, finishing the creature and sending its soul to peace. "Impressive, but that was nothing more than a pawn," Vexen said advancing on Sora.

Sora swung his keyblade at the scientist, only to have the blow blocked by an icicle blade. Axel sent three fireballs at Vexen, only two of them being blocked. Vexen cried out in alarm as he was hurled back and landed on the ground only to get back up on his feet.

Sora then ran over to the Flurry of Dancing Flames. "Axel!"

"Got it memorized?"

Axel than slammed his two chakrams on Sora's Kingdom Key, one on the hilt, the other on the blade's end. Sora and Axel both then sent fire magic over the keyblade, and Sora flung the keyblade in a strike raid. The result was a tornado of flames around the keyblade speeding across the entire area going back and forth in crosses and diagonals going over Vexen numerous times. After about a minute, the weapons separated from each other and returned to their masters as the tornado died out, pools of water from the melted ice on the ground. Vexen slowly got up to his feet, but he still seemed to have a plan. "Nice try Axel. That old trick that you and Roxas made up was clever, but I was expecting that."

"That was Roxas' idea?" Sora asked.

Axel shrugged. "It came in handy once before."

"Enough," Vexen interrupted them. "Your skills may have improved, but neither of you have seen my new power!"

Vexen raised his hands in the air and it became cold; freezing cold. Sora then saw out of the corner of his eye on one the puddles of water freezing over immediately. Not liking the looks of things, he went to run forward, only to realize that his feet were frozen to the ground, ice shards now starting to climb up his legs. "FIRAGRA!" Sora shouted.

Flames spun around the ice at Sora's feet, but the ice continued to climb higher. "What?" Sora said as he looked at Axel.

Axel wasn't doing so hot either. (1)The ice was already up to his knees and his fire wouldn't melt the ice either. "This is impossible Vexen, you know that you're the scientists! Fire melts ice!"

"In most cases, that is true Axel, but temperature of the ice and the environment can make a huge difference. You see, you are already at a temperature of –50 degrees Fahrenheit, which in some cases becomes life threatening. True, fire does melt ice, but it becomes harder and longer at such lower temperatures. If necessary, I might to resort to Absolute Zero."

"Absolute Z-Z-Zero?" Sora chattered as he saw his breath in front of him, ice up to his waist."

"Absolute Zero is approximately 0 degrees Kalvin, something scientists use for measurement. It is equivalent to –237 degrees Celsius, but even at warmer temperatures people have frozen instantly. And now it is –70 degrees Fahrenheit. All I have to do is wait Axel. I've been waiting over a year for my revenge."

Sora could feel the ice on his chest, even higher on his back, not being able to turn. Sora could also feel the effects of hypothermia and shock from the ice slowly nipping at his consciousness. Axel looked pale now, and didn't look like he would make it. Sora only had only one possible thing he could do. With the last of his strength he raised his stiffening arm, and swung his keyblade in another strike raid. It swung in their air, passed the Chilly Academic, and shattered the ice that almost entrapped Axel.

Axel sprang into the air, and sent a fireball in his fist straight at Vexen's face. Needless to say, Vexen was sent into the air on fire into a wall and fell a hundred feet to the ground. The keyblade swung back in the air to Sora, but Sora couldn't catch it because his face was the only thing not covered in ice. The keyblade struck into the ground next to him as Axel ran over sending a blaze of fire at the ice surrounding Sora. "Hold on Sora!" he yelled as the ice slowly began to melt around Sora, the temperature slowly starting to rise.

Than a large icicle flew threw the air and knocked Axel back fifty feet. Vexen then walked over to Axel. "I have to admit Sora, I should have had your arms and legs frozen first. Thanks to the sun, you might just live, but I doubt that. Axel, on the other hand, it ends know. I was going to make it slow for you, but you've really ticked me off, so I'll just send you straight to Absolute Zero!"

Vexen then blasted a large white blast at Axel. Axel jumped in the air trying to avoid the blast, but it was too wide. Axel was now incased in a large ice crystal, no color in his face, his coat drenched in ice shards as well as his hair. "And now the idiot is dead," Vexen said.

Sora was losing consciousness, half aware of what was going on. _No…it couldn't be…Axel?…it can't…end…Kairi…_

Something than erupted from Sora, feelings that weren't his own. A supreme force of anger, and friendship at the same time flowing through him until it burst causing the ice around him to shatter as he fell to the ground in a yellow/orange light. Vexen turned just in time to see a black keyblade and a white keyblade flying through the air, hitting him to the round, and knocking off large portions of the ice crystal the Axel was in. "This…this can't be!" said the Chilly Academic.

*****

Kairi and Riku were fending off Sprayers when all of the sudden if got cold, really cold. "What's happening?" Kairi asked.

"Don't worry about it! Just keep these things back there's about ten of them left.

With the help of the King, Donald, and Goofy, fighting off the Soulz off was a lot easier, although they became split up. Axel and Sora left a while ago chasing after an odd looking Soulkz. Riku just hopped Sora just hadn't gone and done something stupid. Now only eight sprayers were left as Goofy's shield finished off one. "All right!" said Donald.

Then the sprayers went from being a bronze/gold to a silver/blue. "Huh?" said Goofy.

The sprayers than all joined together and started to morph into one being. "Uh oh," said King Mickey as the combined Soulz revealed itself.

The being was like a troll, about two stories tall with two heads on large extending necks. Its three wings made it even more disfigured than the odd patterns across its body. Its claws were much sharper and larger, and the thing also had a spiked tail. "I saw one of these before we met," said the King. "It's an Ice Spirit!"

The ice spirit roared as shards of ice flew from its mouths like daggers. "Watch out!" Riku said as he swung Road to Dawn blocking shards as Kairi and Donald hid for safety behind Goofy's shield. "FIRA!" Kairi shouted as a small blast of fire hit the ice spirit's center wing.

The spirit, however, acted as if nothing had happened, this time swiping its left claws at the group. They all backed off not trying to get hit. "Why didn't it work?" Kairi asked.

"Maybe we need a little help from the darkness, said Riku as he readied his keyblade. "DARK FIRAGRA!"

Dark fireballs burst from Road to Dawn and hit the ice spirit as it cried out in pain. It than swung around, it's mace-like-tail slamming Riku in the chest sending him to the ground. "Riku!" Kairi said running over.

The ice spirit than began to breathe two beams of ice magic from its two heads in different directions as the King jumped in the air dodging the blasts, and landing between the two necks. King Mickey took the opportunity as he plunged his Keyblade into on of the Soulkz necks. "PERAL!"

The King's light magic burst through the things neck, destroying one head, but the other head cried out in pain as it knocked King Mickey off its body and onto the ground. "Your majesty!" Goofy said running over.

"I'm fine Goofy. But we need to take care of this thing before it causes any damage to Radiant Garden!"

Riku than got up. "Kairi!"

"Always here," said the Princess of Heart.

The two clanged their keyblades together as Dawn and Twighlight combined their power and shot several beams of energy at the Ice spirit hitting it wings and tail. The creature roared in more pain and blasted another beam of ice at the keyblade weilders. They jumped to the side, but not before a small amount of Riku's leg became covered in ice. He cried out in surprise he fell to the ground on top of Kairi. "Riku! You leg!"

"I'll be fine. Quick, take care of it!"

Before Kairi could react, the ice spirit swung at Kairi and flung her knocking her into the side of a building. "Kairi!" Donald shouted.

Before the royal mage could cast a healing spell, he was also hit be the ice spirit's claw. Goofy swung his shield at the creature trying to distract it as the King tried getting the ice off Riku's leg. Kairi than looked at the creature to see it rearing back its head, a large amount of magic charging in its jaws. It was going to fire a deadly blast of ice at Riku and the King! Kairi than felt something surge from her, something she had never felt before as a white and yellow light surrounded her. Feeling flowed within her about promises and friendship and the light burst from her as an unfamiliar keyblade flew out and hit the ice spirit square in the face.

* * *

(1) Whoa, that's like the biggest pun ever

_Axel's Dynamic Twister_

_Kairi's Beam Blast_

Sorry about not updating. First I got really busy, than the computer crashed, than I couldn't log in last night because of a login glitch. I swear, what's next! Oh, and all that absolute zero stuff was something that caught my attention in science some day. It's all true. And Vexen's ability to cool the temperature in the area is a new power of his. Each one of the Seekers has an additional power to the ones they already had in the organization. If you have any ideas for an additional power, tell me!

As for the strange light and keyblades, you'll have to wait till next chapter. The reason I put in two points of view as if they happened at the same time. Please Review.

_Dezblade_


	13. 12: Destiny and Memory

Chapter 12: Destiny and Memory

"This…this can't be!" said the Chilly Academic.

The blonde haired teenager ran over to the ice crystal where his two keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion, were lodged in. He grabbed them, slashed through the ice crystal cutting it into pieces, and shot an orange light at it, immediately destroying the ice as Axel landed on the ground dropping his chakrams and breathing heavily. "Axel! Are you okay?" said the teenager.

Axel looked up at the blonde haired teenager just like Vexen was: utter surprise. "Roxas? Is that you?" Axel asked.

"Yeah. It's me," said Roxas in his clothes he wore in Twighlight Town.

"How'd…how are you here?"

"Couldn't you ask yourself the same question?"

Axel gave a small chuckle. "Touché."

Sora than slowly got up to his feet. "Roxas?" Sora said, socked as well.

Vexen than got up to his feet. "You can't be here Roxas. You're unlike any nobody; you returned to your original self. And when you return to your original self, you can't leave that somebody, or it would cause death to both of you!"

"Look who's talking Vexen," said the Key of Destiny. "You shouldn't be here yourself. If what you're saying is true, then none of the three of us should be here, as well as the rest of the Seekers."

"How do you know about-"

"When I was with Sora, I could everything that was around him. Thanks to Axel, I know about you Soulz and how you've returned with some other goal, which gave me an idea: Why don't I return as a Soulz?"

"Impossible!" said the Chilly Academic. "We never returned to original selves nor brought back our hearts. You had both, and therefore need to stay with that heart and original self."

"Amazing Vexen. I would think you would catch on," said Axel trying to return his body temperature back to normal, still somewhat weak.

"Like what?" yelled Vexen.

"Roxas and I really different if you think about it," Sora said. "I mean, we may have the same heart and all, but we're different, meaning our souls are different."

"Which is why I'm here," Roxas said reading himself with Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "So what'll it be Vexen? Run, or die?"

"I have come too far to not let you die. I'll just kill you all instead!"

Vexen went to slash at Roxas with an icicle blade, but Roxas simply dodged it by jumping over him, his keyblades flinging at Vexen's head. The attacks were blocked by Vexen's arm shields, but it made him lose his balance. Roxas than landed behind him and slashed at the back of Vexen's blue coat ripping it and causing a gash in the letter of an X in Vexen's back. The Chilly Academic cried out in pain, and rammed into Roxas with a shield. Roxas got knocked over, but he simply pushed Vexen off with his feet, sending Vexen on the ground and Roxas placed the two keyblades up to Vexen's throat. "Dang, you're even easier than when we used to train back in the Organization," Roxas jested.

Vexen breathed heavily. "You have not seen the last of me. The Seekers are far more powerful than you realize. When we reach our goal, nothing will be able to stop us, nothing."

And with that, he disappeared in a blue portal, Roxas not attempting to go after him. "Chicken," Roxas said to himself.

Sora and the Flurry of Dancing Flames walked up to Roxas. "So, you're your own person now?" Sora asked.

Roxas shrugged. "I know as much as you do, literally."

Axel shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't think there's a permanent way to keep you yourself Roxas. You don't have your own heart, although you may have your own soul."

"So neither of you are nobodies, but now just living souls?" Sora asked.

"Exactly," Axel said.

"Yeah, I mean, I should be able to be myself, but you'll probably feel a little…different," Roxas said.

"Well, what now?" Axel asked.

"We'd better check on the others," Sora said. "We left them back Merlin's house."

The three than jogged back into the city area of Radiant Garden to seen no more sprayers around town. "Looks like they're all gone," said Axel.

"You think it's because Vexen left?" Sora asked.

"Nah, probably most of them were put to rest by the others," said Roxas.

Suddenly, a sprayer flew down from above in front of the three. "Whoa!" Sora said taking out the Kingdom Key.

Before he could even attack the Soulz, something flew also from above and impaled the sprayer. The sprayer moaned and disappeared. In its place, Sora saw an unfamiliar keyblade. It had several designs across its hilt and blade, as if whoever forged it had no idea how to make it. It was mainly yellow with several spots green, pink, and white along its hilt. A small yellow nobody sign hanged from the key chain on the hilt, the "key" part of the blade looked like a small anvil. "A keyblade?" Roxas asked.

"I see you're all okay," said a girl's voice.

The three turned around to Kairi with her keyblade out standing next to a girl that looked almost like her, except for the blonde hair. "Namine!?" they all said at once.

"Roxas?" Kairi said.

"It seems you got separated as well," Namine said as she walked between them and picked the keyblade out from the ground.

"I guess why don't have to figure out how Namine's here," said Axel.

"Well, some ice Soulz came and attacked us, and it was about to freeze Riku and the King when I had this weird feeling," Kairi started to explain.

"I couldn't just watch, so I came as a Soulz and stopped it with Artist's Touch," Namine said balancing the keyblade in he hand.

"Predictable," Axel thought out loud.

"Where are the others?" Sora asked.

"Back at Merlin's. Leon and the others are there too!"

So after returning to Merlin's house, exchanging names, and telling about Samen showed them of the Crossroad, Leon leaned against the wall. "So, these Seekers are after Kingdom Hearts, supposedly after this thing that destroys worlds?"

"But why would Sephiroth want the Royal Scroll," Tifa asked.

Roxas shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Welp, we've got no other choice than to start looking for those last pieces of the Royal Scroll," said King Mickey.

"And this keyblade weilder of darkness," said Riku.

"But worlds will we go to?" Sora asked.

"Well you see, that's why his majesty sent a letter to you," Goofy said.

"After we found out about the Seekers, we got these weird readings on the gummi ship!" Donald said.

"I looked at them when we were waiting for you to come back, and it seems to be some kind of magical beacon, possibly from pieces of the Royal scroll," Merlin said.

"What! We won't have enough time. The Seekers are probably are already trying to get Kingdom Hearts!" Axel said.

"Well, you could go in teams," Cid said. "I got two extra gummies out back you can use!"

"Thanks Cid!" said Sora.

"Welp, me, Riku, and Roxas will go here!" said King Mickey pointing to an unknown world.

"I'll take Kairi and the duck here," Axel said pointing to another world.

"It's Donald Duck!"

"Whatever."

"I guess that leaves use three at this place," Sora said to Namine and Goofy pointing at another planet.

"Hey," Balthier said. "Good luck to you."

"We might need it," said Riku running to a gummi ship behind Merlin's house.

* * *

Roxas- Sora's nobody, now returning as a Soulz. Still fights with Oathkeeper and Oblivion. He also can use a soul magic attack which creates orange light blasts. Roxas first appeared in Kingdom Hearts II.

Namine- Kairi's nobody, now returning as a Soulz. She fights with the keyblade Artist's Touch. She can lob he keyblade far distances like a javelin, and can also act like a pencil to create certain magic spells. Namine first appeared in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

Yes, Roxas and Kairi return. I only thought it was fair since Kairi wields a keyblade that Namine could too. She has a special ability with it, but you'll see it in the future. First Disney World up next! No clue when it'll be up. Thanks for reading. I'll see you on the next chapter.

_Dezblade_


	14. 13: The Golden Coat Seeker

Chapter 13: The Golden Coat Seeker

The gummi ship Kairi, Axel, and Donald wasn't the greatest ship there was. "What is this piece of junk?" Axel said.

"Well, Cid did say it was an extra," Kairi said trying to figure out the communication systems.

The ship was still amazing to Kairi having never been in one before. The ship had entire living area with bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, it was amazing! She was trying to remain in contact with the other two ships while Donald steered it. "Uh oh!" Donald said.

"What?" Kairi asked.

"Heartless!"

Kairi looked outside the ship and sure enough there were heartless flying through the cosmos attacking the ship. The ship rocked back and forth as energy blasts hit the ship. "Hold on!" said the duck as it turned the ship into a complete 360. (1)

Axel wasn't wearing a seatbelt because he just standing around and ended up hitting all four walls of the control room and landing on the floor. "What the hell!" he roared as he got up from the ground.

"Donald, is there a better way than spinning?" Kairi asked after being a little seasick being turned upside down.

"Well, there are lasers…"

"Why didn't you say before!" Axel yelled at the duck as more heartless attacked the gummi ship.

"Hold on!" Donald cried out as he did another barrel roll to avoid a large heartless.

Axel hit the walls again this time, swearing a word Kairi's parents told her never to say. "Do that again and I'll kill you! Now where's the laser controls!"

Donald quickly pointed to a control system to Kairi's left. Axel jumped in the seat, but on a seat belt, and controlled two joysticks and began firing at the heartless. Almost immediately he wiped them all out. "Where'd you learn to that?" Kairi asked.

Axel just gave a small smile. "Well, Xigbar, No. II in the Organization, was very crazy about guns, and I stole them from him once as a prank." He than turned at Donald. "Now you'd better land this thing quick, or I might just have roast duck for dinner!" (2)

"You wouldn't!" Donald said, half scared.

Axel created a small fireball in his hand and Donald zoomed the gummi ship to their destination.

*****

They three walked from the gummi ship towards a stone castle. It was night and the full moon shone bright on the castle walls. "What is this place?" Kairi asked.

"This the Beast's Castle!" Donald said.

"The 'Beast'? I don't like the sound of that," said Axel.

"No, he's on our side. Besides, Bell lives with him here."

"Bell lives here?" said Kairi.

She remembered the Princess of Heart from when more than a year ago when Maleficent tried to open the keyhole to Hollow Bastion…er Radiant Garden. The was than a loud roar that came from the castle. "I take it that was the beast you speak of?" Axel asked.

"His name is Beast. And he's a nice guy!" Donald said running up, err waddling up to the front steps.

Before he could knock, the front doors swung open knocking him to the ground. A small swarm of heartless appeared, most of them gargoyles. Kairi summoned her keyblade as Axel took out his chakrams. "Well, well, looks like this is going to be fun," Axel said as he threw his fiery weapons at the heartless.

Kairi ran forward and slashed at a Shadow and killed it. She than blocked a blow from a gargoyle's ax and spun around hitting it and one behind her causing both of them to topple to pieces of rock to the ground. A Neoshadow than jumped out of no where, but Donald used blizzard magic at it, eliminating it. "Thanks Donald!"

"No problem!" said the duck mage as he swung his staff at another heartless hitting it with lightning.

The Flurry of Dancing Flames was spinning and jumping though the Heartless like there was no tomorrow, his flames causing the bricks beneath his feet to turn red hot. "Geez, none of you can stand the heat!"

Then, with a sudden flash, the heartless disappeared. "Huh?" Kairi said.

"It seems you are two powerful for the heartless. Perhaps a stronger challenge for you?"

Kairi whipped her head up towards the voice to a figure standing in the shadows on the castle roof. He wore a Origination coat, but like Axel it wasn't black, this one was a golden color. "The Organization!" Donald said.

"Hello? The Organization doesn't exist," Axel pointed out.

"Correct Axel," said the figure. "But why you didn't join the Seekers is a very interesting gamble."

Than Kairi recognized this voice. "Who are you?"

"The correct question is, what am I?" said the Seeker throwing back his hood to reveal blonde hair and two earrings. One with a nobody symbol, the other with a heartless symbol.

"Luxord…didn't think you'd make it," Axel said readying himself.

Luxord drew orange and yellow cards from his pocket. "I could say the same to you. But it matters no more. When I defeat you and the Princess of Heart, the Seekers won't have to worry about a thing!"

* * *

(1) DO A BARREL ROLL!

(2) I had that last night for dinner

Luxord- a.k.a. The Golden Coated Seeker. Former member X of the Organization, Luxord returns as a Soulz. He still fights with his cards, but can use them to change the time of battle through a "battle deck". He can use cards as blades and also can create "Twilight Blasts" that consist of light and darkness.

Sorry about not updating, I've been busy with random stuff. Yes Luxord has returned has well. i made this chapter short because I didn't want to write a battle scene just yet. I also saw the 4th Indian Jones movie, and it was AWSOME! Go see it if you love the Indiana Jones movies!

_Dezblade_


	15. 14: Pick a Card

Chapter 14: Pick a Card

Luxord threw his cards at the three, the cards striking the ground, and falling flat. The cards than grew in size from a standard playing card to the size of a poster board. The shuffled themselves on the ground until they formed a short pile. Luxord swiped his hand and a card flipped itself over. On the card was a heartless symbol. Then a great amount of heartless popped out of nowhere. "WAK"

"A new trick you picked up Luxord?" Axel said as he let five heartless on fire.

"As they would say Axel, a magician never reveals his secrets. You know as much as me as what the next card brings. So, beware!"

Kairi finished another heartless with a swipe of her keyblade as she was already getting tired. "Kairi, you alright?" Donald asked as shot Blizzard magic at approaching heartless.

"I guess I'm just not used to so much fighting."

She swiped at a heartless only to see another card from Luxord's deck being drawn. This card showed Kairi on it. "What the-"

Kairi didn't get to finish as a golden cage came up from the stone floor beneath her and trapped her in. "It seems the cards are not in favor of you," Luxord laughed.

"Why don't you fight face to face Luxord? Or are you just too big of a wuss to fight us?" Axel said as he threw his chakrams, one eliminating a heartless, the other banging the cage that trapped Kairi.

"A wuss? Surly Axel, if I were a wuss would a do this?"

A giant golden blast than erupted from Luxord's hand and shot the ground near Axel blasting bricks away into the air. The stone shrapnel flew across the area, breaking down the cage Kairi was in, as well tearing down the grand wooden door that lead into the castle. "Hurry!" Donald yelled as he waddled as fast as he could inside.

Kairi and Axel ran after with no hesitation. "What, leaving the game already. Why I've just begun?" they could faintly hear Luxord yell from outside.

"You know him?" Kairi asked, still running after Donald in the castle.

"No. X in the Organization, Luxord. Some of us called him the Gambler of Fate. Where he learned to make that blast though is new to me," Axel said after they caught up with Donald who was outside a door.

"Belle? Are you in there?" Donald asked out of breath.

"Who's there?" said a frightened voice.

"Belle! It's Donald!"

The door opened a slightest crack. "Quickly, when I open the door, run in."

The door swung open and they piled in, Axel tripping over Donald and landing on his face. He immediately got to his feet and gripped his hands around Donald's throat. "Why you little-"

"Will both of you stop being immature!" Kairi yelled at them.

They both turned to look at her, and Axel dropped Donald to the ground. "Sorry, my tempers been quite out of hand since being a soulz."

"You're one of them?" Belle said frightened.

"It's okay, he's on our side," Kairi said.

"At least we think so," Donald muddled to himself.

"Look I'm sorry, but you just need to be aware that there are people here four feet taller than you," Axel said coolly.

As Donald and Axel gave insults back at one another, Kairi quickly talked to Belle. "You alright?" Kairi asked.

"No. That man has locked up Beast in the dungeon and I have no idea what to do."

Axel and Donald stopped to listen. "Locking Beast up? Is that even possible?" Donald said.

"Considering Luxord, he probably gave him a dangerous option of escape being the gambler he is," Axel said.

"What do you mean?" Belle said.

"Let's say he leaves Beast locked in a room. Beast gets out only to find soulz. Maybe a giant pit, who knows."

"So we have to rescue him?" said Kairi.

"Looks like it, and try to beat Luxord at his own game."

Kairi sighed. "I never liked poker."

"Just make sure you know how to pull a bluff. That's the only thing that might help us."

"Well, I remember where the dungeon is when I was last here with Sora and Goofy. Let's go!" Donald said.

"Please hurry. I don't want him to get hurt," Belle said as they left her in the room.

"We will," Kairi promised as she walked out the door, closing it behind her.

* * *

I'M BACK. Sorry about not updating. After getting home after five weeks, it turns out my computer crashed. This is the first time I've been able to update so I'm going to finish this world and start the next one within a few hours. Once agian, Sorry.

_Dezblade_


	16. 15: A Gamble on Both Sides

Chapter 15: A Gamble on Both Sides

"You have got to be kidding me," Donald said as he looked below.

The floor of the dungeon was infested with bug like soulz that crawled around the floor and walls making it look like the floor was gold and moving. The three stood on a balcony overlooking the creatures. "What are those?" Kairi asked.

"They're Adons. Parasite bug creatures. They're like ticks, except they don't latch onto you for blood," Axel explained.

"How do you know all this?" Kairi asked.

"Technically being a soulz, I can tell when others are soulz and what they can do. Someone like Luxord, no. These things, yes."

"Well, what do they, um, suck?" Donald asked.

Axel was quiet, not wanting to answer. After a moment, he answered. "Your power, your will, pretty much your soul."

"What?!" Kairi said.

"The minor soulz purpose is to become the brightest greatest soul there is. By doing so, they develop into different type of soulz. Adons are like the first step. Sprayers are like a level 3. Luxord, others, and me we're different. Our consciousness still controls us, not controlled by instincts or orders."

"So if Beast get out of the room, he'll be swarmed!" Donald realized.

"Any weakness?" Kairi asked.

"If there were only a few, I'd say squish them. But now, looks like giant blasts of magic can do this. Obviously I've got fire. You two?"

"Fire, Ice, Wind, Lightning, Healing-"

"Make a thunderstorm if you can. How're you with magic Kairi?"

Kairi thought for a moment looking at her keyblade, remembering what Namine had taught her before they went separate ways.

*****

Kairi watched in awe at what just happened. "How did you learn this?"

"When I was leaving Castle Oblivion. I found this in the library before I left."

"Castle Oblivion?"

"You remember the Crossroad? It was once part of a world that never should have existed as well as the castle. Now all that remains is the Crossroad."

"Still, I've only done that once before, and Sora explained it was something the keyblade helping me."

"No. I was still a part of you then. I just acted to help save Sora and Roxas."

"So, only the two of us can do this?"

"You're the only Princesses of Heart to wield a Keyblade and I'm your soulz. Only us can do it."

"Thank you Namine."

"There's something else I want to show you," Namine said as she stepped back and readied her keyblade.

"What's that?" Kairi asked.

A bright flash enveloped the room and disappeared. Kairi stared in amazement. "Whoa!"

*****

"Kairi? Hey, earth to Kairi?" Axel said snapping his fingers in front of her face.

"What? Oh, sorry."

"Quickly, before the Adons notice us. Do you know any magic?"

Kairi nodded. "I've got the right spell. Just try to move most of them in one area."

Axel gave a quizzing look, but nodded. "You heard her, duck. Get them of the walls and in the middle of the ground is my suggestion."

"It's Donald!"

"Fine, _Donald_," Axel said slowly, "You get the wall of the right, I get the wall of the left."

Then there was an odd scuttling noise as Kairi saw every sing bug head turn towards them. "They see us!"

"NOW!" yelled the Flurry of Dancing Flames as he shot fire at the wall.

Donald cried out as he brought down at least thirty thunderbolts on the knocking the Adons off the wall. Most were stunned, but all of them started to move in a horde towards the three. Kairi aimed Blossoming Heart at the horde of soulz. "Get them closer!"

Axels sent up a wall of fire squeezing the Adons closer in together. Donald also sent down five more thunderbolts down bringing in the parasites closer together. Kairi brought the magic from within in her. "AURURA!"

A beam of light erupted from Blossoming Heart and acted like a large laser beam that swept over the Adons. They were exterminated by the lights intensity and were no more. Axel and Donald stared in amazement at what Kairi had just as she breathed heavily. It had taken a toll on her more than she thought. "When did you learn to do that?" Axel said.

"Naturally," Kairi said, a small grin on her face.

"You blew the door down!" Donald said a the wooden on the other side of the dungeon below fell down onto the ground, smoke rising from it.

"I'm just going to do that anytime soon," Kairi said using her keyblade like a walking stick as she went down the stairs to keep herself upright.

Then a giant thing covered in fur ran out from the door on all fours, a tattered purple cloak flowing behind it. "Great, more," Axel said preparing a fireball.

"More of you in my castle!" the thing cried out.

"Beast!" Donald yelled stepping between Axel and the Beast.

"You," the Beast said to Donald somewhat calmer, "Donald. Are Goofy and Sora here as well."

"No. This is Kairi and Axel. We're good friends."

"He looks a lot like the other one," Beast said looking at Axel.

"Luxord. The guy with cards. Yeah, we've already run into him earlier."

"And I've just run into you again."

They all looked up at the balcony to see Luxord with a hand over Belle's mouth. "NO!" the Beast roared.

Luxord gave a small laugh. "You got rid of the Adons, but no matter. There will still be one death tonight."

"No!" Donald shouted.

"You wouldn't dare!" Axel yelled.

Luxord gave a harsh stare. "A daring gamble it is, but will suffice. I couldn't get the Beast's soul so I go for Belle's instead. Unless you have any other offers. Going once?…Going Twice?"

"Make you a bargain!"

Everyone turned to look at Kairi. "Kairi, Princesses of Heart…you wish to make a bargain with me?"

"Don't do it Kairi," Axel warned her. "You're as tired as it is."

Kairi ignored Axel as she walked forward, Blossoming Heart hanging at her side. "A fight to determine who gets Belle. One on one. You and me. No card tricks, no crazy stunts, no death."

Luxord scratched his chin. "You're saying we fight till we make the other one out of breath or until the other yields, is that it?"

"That's it."

"Loser leaves this place never to return. Winner decides what to do with Belle. It doesn't seem like there is enough at stake right now. How something to bid with, huh?"

"Such as?"

"For me, if I should lose, you get this."

He waved a small ancient piece of paper. "Part of the Royal Scroll!" Axel said.

Luxord chuckled. "It seems you know how important this piece of paper is then. Very well, what will you put on the line. If I don't like what it is, I'll simply deny your challenge. So what'll be?"

Kairi thought hard for a second. She then slowly brought out her good luck charm that Sora had returned to her a week ago. A week ago. It seemed more like months, years in fact. "This," she said.

Luxord laughed. "A little homemade trinket? It has no value to me whatsoever. I am leaving," and he started to turn.

"Fine with me. You're just screwing over your one chance to get at Sora."

He stopped in his tracks to turn back at Kairi. "You mean Roxas?"

"Same person, different souls," Kairi said. "Sora held onto this for me for more than a year. This is connected to his heart. If you have it, you can influence him."

Luxord let go of Belle, but not before a swarm of Adons formed around Belle in a circle. "What are you doing?" the Beast yelled at him.

"The rules are simple. No one interferes with Belle, or us or I leave, and leave Belle to the Adons. We toss our gambles to the side near Belle. Winner gets all, loser leaves empty handed, never to return. Do we have a bargain?"

Kairi looked back at Axel, Donald, and the Beast for a moment, then at Belle, then back to Luxord, his hand out, waiting to be shook. "Kairi, don't do this!" Donald said.

"You have any other better ideas?"

It was quiet. "You're the one who brought this to mind, Kairi. Do we have a bargain or not?" Luxord repeated.

Kairi shook the Gambler of Fates hand, a flash of light from Kairi's hand, a flash of gold from Luxord's hand. "We have an agreement. Throw the Royal Scroll piece towards Belle."

"Ladies first."

Kairi sighed. "Sora, I'm sorry," she whispered to herself, and she flung the lucky charm out to the side.

Luxord threw the piece of the Royal Scroll and it landed next to the charm. Two cards appeared, both gold, small handgrips on the back. He grabbed his hands in them and swirled the cards around as if they were giant rectangular shields with a blade going around its entire edge. "Are you ready, Princesses of Heart?"

Kairi spun around her Keyblade and readied it with both of her hands. "Ready, dirt bag."

"You better watch your mouth young-"

SMACK! The broadside of Kairi's keyblade smashed right across Luxord's face. He stumbled backwards in pain, but brought both cards up in defense blocking the next blow. "Didn't you know princesses should have good manners?"

"Sorry, but I was raised a bit differently," Kairi said jumping back and went back in again for a stab.

Luxord swiftly raised one of his cards so that it came up swung Blossoming Heart up in the air away from him, and swung his other card so it flew Kairi ten feet away. She fell on her back, and she could feel the pain rising in her shoulders. She looked up to see Luxord running towards her, his cards at either side. He then jumped into the air raising the two bladed cards over his head about to bring them down. Kairi rolled out of the way as Luxord landed, bits of ruble flying from the brick floor. She quickly jumped to her feet spiraling so that her keyblade hit Luxord twice in the back before she landed three feet away. Luxord groaned in pain as he turned to face her. "Intriguing, Kairi, but can you stand this?"

He than shot two golden blasts from his hands at Kairi. Upon Reflex she brought up Blossoming Flower in defense in front of her face, and the two blasts bounced off of it and went astray hitting the walls, sending more pieces of bricks flying. Kairi then threw her keyblade in a Strike Raid at Luxord as he fired two more blasts. The two blasts hit the rotating keyblade and bounced off again, but one still hit Kairi. Her left shoulder felt immense pain as the keyblade hit Luxord in the face and came back to her. Good thing she was right handed, and still was able to catch Blossoming Heart. Luxord got up a bit slower, obviously shaken. "How do you like my Twighlight Blasts Kairi. Do they cause you pain?"

Kairi pointed her keyblade straight at where Luxord should have had a heart. "Does this give you pain? _**AURURA!**_" Kairi roared.

The light blast was even more intense then the last one as it knocked Luxord into the air and through the stonewall. Axel, Donald, the Beast, and Belle all looked away or closed their eyes to keep themselves from being blinded. The light blast continued for tens seconds until it went away. Axel opened his eyes to see the dungeon was a mess. Scorch marks were everywhere. The Adons around Belle had been incinerated by the light intensity just like the ones before them. Yet Belle had not even a scratch on her. Kairi stood in the middle of the room staring through the hole she had created. She suddenly lost her balance and fell to the floor, her keyblade falling next to her. "Kairi!" Donald said, raising his staff in order to cast a healing spell, but Axel stopped the court mage.

"You can't. Otherwise Luxord would say it would be interfering."

"You think he's still alive after that?"

Donald's question was answered as Luxord stepped through the hole, several spots in his gold coat scared black and white. His cards were gone, his heartless earring gone. He walked up to Kairi slowly, strength taken out of him. Kairi slowly rose to her feet, her right hand clutching her keyblade, her left hand clutching her stomach. She went in a weak-fighting stature, waiting for Luxord to make a move. Luxord stepped back. "You know, a man knows when he's run out of luck, and you're holding all the aces right now. Congratulations, Princesses of Heart Kairi. You have won today. But tomorrow will bring another fight. Don't think about me getting soft. The piece of the scroll is yours. And now, I leave."

And he walked away in a gold portal that disappeared behind him.

Kairi fell to the floor from exhaustion. Donald waddled as fast as he could over to her and started using cure spells on her, green magic flowing towards her injuries. Axel walked over and picked up the piece of the Royal Scroll and Kairi's lucky charm. He looked at the two objects as he heard Belle and the Beast run towards each other, comforting each other. He than walked over to Kairi and handed them to her. "You know, you're quite full of surprises aren't you?"

Kairi gave a small smile. "Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"When you…kidnapped me, you were trying to find Roxas, but you didn't want to hurt me, right?"

Axel slowly nodded. Kairi slowly got up. "Thanks Donald."

"You're sure alright?" Donald said.

"Positive," Kairi said, then turning back to Axel. "Well, right then, I figured I ought to fight like I'm fighting for Sora. Fighting to make sure he's alright, just like you were for Roxas. Because we both care for our friends."

Axel gave a small grin. "Yeah, I guess so. Now come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

A Real long one but that makes up for being gone such a long time. A new trio at a new world coming up next!

_Dezblade_


	17. 16:A New Trio, A new Death Deal

Chapter 16: A New Trio, A New Death Deal

Sora was at the pilot's seat driving the gummi ship towards a favorite world of his. Originally, Goofy had been driving, but Sora gave him a break to sleep in one of the many bedrooms the gummi ship had. He was whistling a tune as he heard footsteps come into the cockpit. He turned around quickly to see Namine. "Good Morning Sora."

"Where'd you get the new clothes?" Sora asked.

Namine was now dressed what would be better traveling clothes than a white dress and sandals. She now wore a V-neck white short-sleeved shirt, tan cargo pants that went to knee level, a pair of blue closed toed sandals. "Well, it's a bit easier to move in this quickly, especially when using a keyblade,' she said as shed sat in the co-pilot seat.

"So, you can use a keyblade since Kairi can, right?" Sora asked as he drove the gummi ship through space.

"Pretty much. We're still connected, like you are still to Roxas, but we go some of our own separate paths."

"You think you're up for adventure?" Sora asked.

"I'll do what I can Sora."

Sora smiled. "With me and Goofy, you've got nothing to worry about!" Sora encouraged her.

Namine smiled. "I know Sora. I know I can count on you."

Goofy than walked out front, yawning comically. "Wow, that was a great nap! Good Mornin' Sora. Good Mornin' Namine."

"Good morning to you too Goofy," Namine said.

"Hey! There it is!" Sora shouted, a world suddenly within sight.

"Oh boy! The Coliseum!" Goofy said.

"Been here before?" Namine asked.

"Yeah! It'll be good to see Hercules again!"

*****

"They've come?! Again?! How many times do they have to keep coming here!"

Hades pounded the table with his fists, small blue flames rising up from where he hit the table. "Twice these meddling fools have stopped my plans to kill Hercules, but this time, they won't get away with it!"

Pain and Panic cowered in the corner. "Well…Hades…what are we going to do?" Panic asked nervously.

"Well, first we distract the 'oh so grand Hercules' and set our ancient friends free!"

Pain gasped, but that was because Panic's horns rammed into his side from twirling around so nervously. "Panic!"

"I'm sorry Pain, I didn't mean to do that!"

"SILENCE! Will both of you numbskulls get a grip!" Hades yelled throwing a fireball at the two of them.

They both dodged it, only for it to hit Pete in the face. "Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow!" He yelled as he dropped to the ground and started rolling around until the fire was out.

"Pete? What are you doing here? I'm guessing Maleficent has some stupid orders again," Hades said sitting down in his throne in the room, trying to calm down.

Pete waved a piece of paper. "Actually, she had a suggestion for you. Remember how you brought back that one warrior guy, but he wouldn't work for you?"

"Don't remind me of the scum! He almost killed Hercules under the mind control, but that stupid keyblade kid found out about the stature of his memories."

"Well, Maleficent had a suggestion in mind for you. And she knows something you could give him in return to kill Hercules!"

Hades suspiciously grabbed the paper from Pete and looked at it. He thought it over. "Well, this could get quite interesting. Do you know where this girl is?"

"She's actually in Radiant Garden. I could take him back with me there in my gummi once Hercules is taken care of!"

Hades gave Pete a wicked smile. "This all works perfectly! With this guy distracts Hercules for his girl there's no way anyone can stop me. Not even the stupid keyblader! He can't stop planets from moving after all."

* * *

After months being gone, I HAVE RETURNED!!!!!

If any of my old readers find this, yeah, I got the time finaly to continue doing this. I had A LOT of crap going on, but I'm still among the living (for now XP) Enjoy as more will come.

_Dezblade_


	18. 17: 1st Class

Chapter 17: 1st Class

Sora, Namine, and Goofy all walked into the Coliseum and marveled at it. "Hey! The fixed up the place great!" Sora said.

"Fixed it up?" Namine asked.

"Well, there was this weird Hydra thing that kept growing heads and such and kept ruining the place. I'm trying to remember exactly what happened then," Goofy said scratching his head.

"Come on guys, let's hurry up!" Sora said as he led them into the grand, golden doors.

In there was the same small room Sora remembered with trophies he had won by doing past cups in the coliseum. It was than someone cam out of the dark hallway that lead to the place where all the battles were fought. A very short fellow. "Hey! What are you doing in here! Didn't you see the sign?"

"What sign?" Namine asked.

"Phil! Is that you?" Sora said.

The goat man came into view. "Hey hey! If ain't the heroes!" Phil said, "although I doubt the duck got turned into a broad."

Namine gave a small laugh. "The name's Namine."

"Hey Phil, where is everybody?" Goofy asked.

"Well, old Hades has been a pain again, as usual. He keep claiming that his coliseum is better than the one up here. Saying its more sophisticated and the such. Heck, you call watching the dead fight heartless sophisticated? I sure don't."

Sora nodded his head in agreement. "So I'm guessing Hercules went down there to stop him."

"Yeah. I would have gone with him, but I had to make sure nothing happened up here while he was gone."

"We better go after him!" Goofy exclaimed.

"Down where?" Namine asked.

"The Underworld. I've still got the medal that'll stop it's forces from harming us," Sora said referencing to the thing they got back from Demyx on their past adventure.

The three than left the coliseum and headed for the dark path to the underworld.

*****

Hades looked at the portal beneath him. The portal that could change life and death. He took fire in his hands and threw it into the portal, instantly, the portal disappeared, a young man standing where it was, although his eyes looked peaceful. He than looked around in confusion. "What the…" he said looking around.

"Hi. Hades, Lord of the Dead. Hi, nice to metcha. Amway, straight to the point: CONGRAJULATION! You have been selected to live. Yep, no longer dead. What do you say to that?"

"…live? Why?" he asked.

Hades than summoned a standard double edged sword out of no where and tossed it to the guy, and he caught it on instinct. "You see, I've got a problem. So, in exchange for your freedom, I need you to fight in the coliseum with Hercules. A long epic battle! It will be a great thing to talk of for centuries!"

The man looked confused at the sword. "Give me a reason why I should live again. I know how my life ended, and I was happy with it."

Normally, Hades would lose some temper here, but he had this already worked out in his mind. He lit a pedestal as a figure appeared on their. A young woman picking flowers. The guy gasped as he saw her. "Yes. Your sweetheart. She's fine. Oh, she's just fine. Except for the one thing."

The image changed from the young woman to a man with long hair with a menacing glare. "NO!" the man shouted. "He's dead! He died before me!"

Hades shook his head. "I'll admit, he's been a tricky one to get down here in the Underworld. How many times he's dodged death, it's incredible! But here's the point kid: you do this for me, and you can protect your sweetheart. As soon as you fight Hercules for me, I'll send you off to where she is in a snap. So, what do you say?"

The man was silent as he rubbed his scar on his cheek. His past, his promise, the one he passed on. "Give me time to think. Interfering with life and death is an odd thing." He said as he started to walk out of the room.

"Well kid, you got till dawn tomorrow to make you choice. And be at the Underdrome by then. If not, deal's off, your back in the slammer. Got it?"

The young man turned to face Hades, his blue hair reflecting off the blue fire in the room. "Yeah. And the name's Zack, not kid." And he walked out into the Underworld.


	19. 18: The Meman

Chapter 18: The Meman

The three walked in the place of death, no noise except for their footsteps. "Gwash, I forgot about how this place gave me the creeps," Goofy said, and hand up to his mouth.

"It is…strange," Namine said.

Sora nodded in agreement. "Let's just find Hercules and get back to the Coliseum. The less we're here, the better."

It was than Sora heard something. He stopped walking, Goofy and Namine stopping as well. "What is it?" Goofy asked.

"Heartless?" Namine asked.

It was than a Dusk slipped around the corner. "Nobodies?!" Sora said. "But Organization doesn't exist anymore!" Sora said.

"You saw Vexen, that means others have survived, and most likely they found a way to control the nobodies again," Namine said.

The three took out their weapons as the Dusk saw them, four more appearing. Sora jumped forward and slammed the keyblade on one's head smashing it to the ground. Goofy charged forward with his shield and rammed into another Dusk against the wall, returning it to the darkness. Namine swung Artist's touch in a upward motion snapping the one Dusks head back, snapping its neck if it had one. Goofy than got down on one knee and positioned his shield so it faced the two remaining Dusks. "Sora!"

"You got it!"

Sora jumped towards Goofy's shield feet first as they landed on the metal surface. Immediately, Goofy pushed on the shield causing it to bounce Sora horizontally through the sky as he swung the Kingdom Key around him, making short work of the last two nobodies. As he rolled to the ground and got back up, he could see that all three of them were alright. "Namine, how'd you learn to fight?" Sora asked.

"Kairi. We're connected and all. All that training you and Riku taught I know as well."

"Well, I guess that makes sense."

"Who do you think sent those after us?" Goofy said.

"Well, it didn't really seem they were after us. More like we just ran into each other," Sora said.

"Which means they're searching for the Ancient Scroll as well," Namine concluded.

"And we've got to find it first," Sora said. "Hopefully Hercules knows something about this. That's why we've got to find him."

They ran off further into the Underworld searching for the Hero, Pain and Panic looking from above. "Oh, he's not going to like this," Panic said nervously holding his tail.

"Say, didn't they say they were looking for some scroll thing?" Pain asked.

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Isn't Hades after something with a scroll?"

"That's right! Oh no…we're he's going to go after that keyblade guy again. You remember what happened last time? Don't you?"

Pain rubbed his head, remembering being lit on fire. "Come on, we better go tell him now!"

The two ran off through a secret passageway above them to get to Hades.

****

Sora, Namine, and Goofy had continued walking when Sora noticed something. "Hey, Goofy? I don't think there was a wall there last time we were here, was there?" Sora said.

One of the walls seemed to have ripped to shreds making a makeshift tunnel. Than some cried out in terror. Goofy recognized the voice. "Meg!"

"Come on, let's go!" Sora running down the tunnel, Namine and Goofy rushing after him.

The tunnel seemed to curve forever back and forth, getting larger over time. It ended suddenly to a large room. Sora gasped. Inside the room was a large beast of some kind Sora had never seen before. "What is that?" he said.

"A Meman. It's a type of Soulz combination, like the Ice Spirit. Except it's with lots of lesser Soulz," Namine said. "Axel was able to fill me in on these things."

The Meman was enormous, more like a Behemoth than anything else. It had silvery coating all around it, fur around its four feet, a long scorpion like tail. Where it should have a face was an armored mask, two slits revealing pure black eyes, a large green acid filled mouth below the mask. It was cornering Meg against a wall as she looked for an escape route but found none. An odd noise came from within it as seemed to growl at Meg. She screamed again. "Meg! Hold on!" Sora said running forward, keyblade in his hands.

He ran faster towards the enormous Soulz with Namine and Goofy behind him. Namine then pointed her keyblade at the monster. "AURURA!"

A piercing light broke from Namine's keyblade as it shot at the head of the Meman. It screamed again and turned to face the trio. Goofy ran over to Meg while Sora ran over and attacked the front left leg of the Soulz. The keyblade hit the creature, but it didn't seem to affect it. "Huh?" Sora said, hitting again, but to no avail.

Namine tried hitting a back leg, but that didn't seem to work either. Then the thing's tail lunged forward into the ground almost hitting Sora. "Whoa!"

"Hold on Sora!" Goofy said launching his shield through the air.

The shield hit the tail and flew back to Goofy as the thing screamed in pain. Sora than thought it out. "The tail must be its weak point! The rest of it is immune to physical attacks. But maybe magic would do the trick."

Sora then used Blizzard on the Soulz. It made its steps larger to face them. It than began to squirt a green acid from its mouth. "Watch out!" Goofy yelled and ran back.

The three ran back to where Meg was now. "Hey, Sora, looks like you came in the nick of time."

"What are you doing down here?" Sora asked watching the acid carefully.

"Looking for the hero, what else. Turns out I found trouble instead. I'm actually getting somewhat used to finding it actually."

The acid advanced across the ground even closer to the four trapping them. Namine then began to hold her keyblade with one hand so its end touched the ground. The keyblade than began to slid on the ground staying in its position piercing the slime forming a path, like a line drawn on a sketch pad. Artist's Touch began to "erase" most of the acid as Sora looked around at the jagged rock formations in the cavern. "Goofy! Valor!"

"You got it Sora!" Goofy said standing next to him.

Sora then called upon the Valor element, a quick piercing light, energy swirling through him. He opened his eyes to see his clothes red, the Guardian Soul keyblade in his other hand, Goofy's strength flowing through him. Sora ran towards the Meman as it brought its tail down towards the ground, missing Sora as he sidestepped to avoid it. He then slashed both keyblades at the Soulz's tail several times, an inhuman screech coming from it. The thing pulled it tail up straight out of range.

Sora ran to the side of the creature as Namine retrieved her keyblade and fired another blast of light at the Soulz. Sora ran faster and jumped up near a ledge, wedging Guardian Soul into the rock, used it to propel him higher onto the ledge, pulling Guardian Soul out from the rock. He did this two more times with the Kingdom key till he was higher than Meman standing on a small rock formation standing out from the wall. The creature lumbered around trying to face Namine. A large black beam than emerged from its black eyes and blasted at the floor near Namine, causing her to fall over. "Hold on!" Sora yelled as he ran and jumped from the rock formation, landing on the creature's back.

The creature turned its head back and forth realizing there was an unwanted rider on its back. It swung its tail horizontally trying to knock off the keyblade's chosen one, but Sora jumped above it and landed on the beast's back again, Sora than ran towards the base of the creature's tail and thrashed the two keyblades against the tail. The thing kept screaming, but Sora blocked the noise out of his mind as he continued to hack at the thing. Sora then swung Guardian Soul another time, when the tail fell off of the creature and fell to the ground. Then, the Meman seemed to lose its structure as it dissolved into the air above as Sora fell to the ground on his back. Once hitting the ground, a light enveloped him, as he and Goofy returned to normal. "Are you two alright?" Namine said running over to them.

"Yeah. I guess we showed that thing who's boss, huh" Sora said as he got up.

"Sora! Look!" Goofy shouted.

Sora looked up in the direction of Goofy's finger pointing at a golden cloud forming at the top of the cavern. Golden balls streaked around the changing plasma, a strange formation taking place. "What's happening?" Sora asked.

"It's transforming! Watch out!" Namine warned.

A small blast, and Sora could see the Meman was on the ceiling, upside down, it's head stretched out now on a long neck. Small black wings formed from its back, two tails emerging from its base that looked deadlier. "It's become an advanced form of itself," Namine said.

Two purple laser than shot out of the tail ends almost hitting the three. "We have to get out of here!" Goofy said.

Before Sora could respond, he saw someone appear at the edge of the cliff near the ceiling. The figure drew a sword from his back, and ran around the edge towards the thing. "Who's that?" Sora said.

The Meman than shot a shower of green acid from its mouth as it came pouring down. The figure avoided the attack and jumped from the opposite side of the cavern and kept going through the air towards the creature till the sword met the creature's face. The figure than proceeded to run down the back of the creature dragging his sword now glowing green across it's back, slicing through one of the tails before jumping off of it again. The Meman cried out in a deeper scream, maybe a moan as it lost its grip on the ceiling and started to fall towards the floor, the three running away from the middle to avoid being hit by the falling Soulz.

The figure than jumped off of the ceiling falling towards the creature. Sora could than hear the person yell. "Ex-SOLDIER 1st class Zack, on the job!"

The creature landed on the floor causing the place to shake as the figure landed sword plunging first into the creature's other tail. The legs went limp on the creature, a small purple liquid oozing from its tail. Sora then saw rock from the ceiling being loosened from the small quake the creature had caused. "The place is gonna collapse!" he yelled.

"Quickly, this way!" Goofy yelled as he, Namine, and Meg ran through the tunnel they had come through, more rocks falling from above.

Sora hesitated and looked at the man who finished off the Soulz. _Well, you know what they say. The enemy of my enemy is my friend._ Sora thought. "Hey! You'd better come this way before a rock hits you!"

The young man twirled his sword around and put it on his back. "Agreed. We'd better make a run for it."

The two ran off down the small path as more rocks and boulders fell from above crushing the creature and sealing off the entrance.

* * *

_Sora's Spring Strike_

Zack Fair- An ex-1st class SOLDIER who has been brought back to life by Hades. He has yet to accept Hade's deal. His past ties to Cloud and Aerith. Zack first appeared in Final Fantasy VII.

Sorry about not updating, been having computer troubles + homework. I'll see what I can get up as soon as possible, as well as some pictures on my DA page. I'll get links as soon they are up. Please Review!

_Dezblade_


	20. 19: Zack Fair

Chapter 19: Zack Fair

The five rested in another small cavern that Sora knew on being here last time heartless didn't tend to walk in. "Gwash, is everyone okay?" Goofy said after a few breaths.

"Startled, that's all," Meg said.

"How did you get caught with that thing?" Namine asked.

"Weird person questioned me if I knew about some paper. Never got a look at her. She had a hood and kept her face the entire time."

"A Seeker," Namine said.

"Wait a minute, she? I never saw anyone from the organization that was a girl," Sora said.

"Now hold on a minute, none of you are making any sense here," said the young man.

"Well maybe it'd be better if we knew each other. Name's Megera. Friends call me Meg."

"Name's Sora!"

"Goofy!"

"Namine."

The man nodded. "Zack Fair. What are you guys doing in the underworld?"

Than Hercules ran in through a tunnel leading into the room. "Guys!"

"Hey! Hercules!" Sora said running up the son of Zeus giving him a high five.

"Well, the hero comes. A little bit late I might say," Meg walked towards Hercules.

"Meg! What are you doing down here?"

"Came looking for you. Instead I came across some creature thing. Luckily Sora and his friends turned up."

"How can you thank you guys?" Hercules said.

"Well, maybe you could help us out," Sora said.

"We're looking for something. Part of the Royal Scroll. Ever heard of it?" Namine said.

Hercules scratched his chin as Zack started to walk around the cavern, occasionally looking back at Hercules a few times. "You know, that sounds awfully familiar. I should probably check in with father about it. He should know. After all, you did help us the time before."

"Thanks Hercules!" Sora said.

"Why don't you guys get out of here and head back to the coliseum? I bet Phil can give you one of his gold old training exercises."

"No can do," Zack said performing squats in a corner.

"Huh? Why not?" Goofy said.

"Because my time already came."

It was silent for a minute. "You mean Hades brought you back?" Sora said remembering what had happened with Auron.

"What more perfect timing could I ask for?"

Everyone turned around to see the Lord of the Dead behind them, a smile on his face. "Well, well, if isn't everyone. I think it's know perfect timing to make my announcement."

"Hades! You need to destroy the underdrome now!" Hercules said advancing him.

"Not so fast, 'Hero'. For once, I will do something. I will destroy the underdrome," Hades said.

"What?" Goofy said.

"There's got to be some catch," Namine said.

"And that's where Zack comes in," Hades said grabbing Zack's shoulder.

Zack backed away. "I still haven't accepted your deal Hades."

"Not yet. But I'll destroy it once you and wonder boy here do one final fight for the underdrome! How's that sound?"

Sora looked at Zack. "A deal to get your life back, huh?" the keyblade master said.

"At dawn, eight hours from now. How's that sound?" Hades said ignoring Sora.

Hercules looked between Zack and Hades. "It sounds as if he's not up for the fight Hades. Seems like you're out of a deal."

"Give me till dawn," Zack said.

"See? He still has some interest in fighting you! After all, he could be an actual challenge for you Hercules with his background and all."

"I did it for the right reasons at the time. Why don't you fight him yourself? You jealous of my talents?" Zack said.

Hades got a mean look in his eye, the blue flames on him slightly growing. "Look sword boy, you're about to blow your own chance at redeeming your life."

"I'll see you at dawn with my answer," Zack said walking off in the underworld.

"See you at the underdrome at dawn, Herc," Hades said snapping his fingers and disappeared into a mist.

"What do you know about this Zack?" Hercules asked.

"He seems like a nice guy. I mean, he saved us from that thing back there anyways as if it were nothing," Sora said.

"You trust him?"

Namine cut in before Sora could answer. "Hercules, let us talk to him. We'll see what his view is."

"Namine, right?" Hercules said.

"How's you know?" Goofy asked.

"Phil told me about you guys being here. Well, I trust you, so I guess we'll see each other at dawn then. Keep strong," Hercules said as he and Meg walked off.

"So, what now?" Goofy asked.

"We go find Zack. Get to know him. Besides, I get the slight feeling I've met him before."

*****

"You mean they're after that old ancient scroll?" Hades said.

"That's what they said," Pain reported.

"Is that bad?" Panic asked nervously holding his tail.

"No, it just makes things more interesting. But it makes no matter to my goal. After dawn, nothing will bother me again!"

*****

Zack sat on the ledge, his eyes closed. Only when he heard footsteps he quickly got up to his feet drawing his sword he once had before Angeal died. He than saw Sora, Goofy, and Namine. "Oh, it's you guys."

"Have you been attacked by the heartless?" Goofy asked.

"Those black things? Piece of cake. Nothing compared to the monsters I used to fight."

"There were a bit on the way here, that's all," Sora said lifting the Kingdom Key.

"That a keyblade?" Zack asked.

"How'd you know?" Namine asked.

"My training. You had to learn all types of weapons, monsters, magic. Everything was essential. But in the end…" Zack didn't finish.

"So, what are you going to do about tomorrow?" Sora asked as Zack put the sword back on his back.

"I don't know," Zack said.

Namine step towards Zack. "Can you close your eyes for a moment Zack?"

"Uh…okay I guess, what are you going to do?" Zack said closed his eyes tapping his finger on his waist.

Namine put a hand over Zack's forehead as a white light appeared under her hand. Zack groaned for a second as if in pain. "Just relax, it'll be over in a moment," Namine said reassuringly.

"Namine, what are you doing?" Goofy asked.

"I'm looking at his memories," Namine said.

Than Namine squeezed her eyes shut as gave out a small cry of pain too. "Namine!" Sora running up to her and grabbing her shoulder.

Sora received the shock too as he closed his eyes as he heard conversations.

"_Angeal!"_

"_Don't do this Genesis!"_

"_A cart?"_

"_So you want to be in SOLDIER?"_

"_What have you done?"_

"_Four years?"_

"_So what are you are you going to do when we get back to Midgar?"_

"_We're friends…right?" _

"_For…the both of us…"_

Sora fell back on the floor of the cavern as Namine took back her hand and Zack opened his eyes. "You…you saw…everything?"

Namine frowned, her head hung slightly. "Unfortunately, yes. Zack, I'm sorry. I should have warned you. But you're good, even if you had been a unfair life."

Zack walked away looking at the glowing walls, a slight mist around the area. "How it happened…well…I don't know. A lot was like a bad nightmare."

"At least you had your friends," Namine said trying to be comforting.

Namine then leaned over to whisper to Zack. "They're both alright. And he's lived for your life."

Zack's eyes opened wide. "You mean…" he whispered, "you know them!"

"Sora better than myself. But yes, they're alright."

Zack sighed. "Thank you, Namine."

"I do what I can."

"So…uh…what do we do about tomorrow?" Sora asked.

"Either way, I want to have some sleep." Zack said.

Sora nodded as Goofy took out some sleeping and laid them out. "I'll take watch," Sora said. "Just in case any heartless show up. Besides, you need sleep Zack."

Zack showed a small smile. "You know Sora, you're not too bad. Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem."

*****

Zack got up about seven hours later and looked around. Namine was now and watch, both Sora and Goofy snoring comically. "You alright?" Namine asked.

"It's just weird and all," Zack said. "You said they're alive? Aerith and Cloud?"

"Yeah, they're fine. They're in Radiant Garden."

"Funny, I loved being there as a kid," Zack said as he walked around a little bit and started doing squats.

"Do you always do those?" Namine asked.

"Always warm up before the fight."

"You're going to fight?"

"Give me a minute. I need to see someone," Zack said after twenty more squats and he ran off.

Namine stood where she was and didn't make any attempt to stop him. She knew where he was going and who he was going to see.

*****

Zack walked around, the misty spirits all around him. He closed his eyes and held his sword in front of his face. He whispered to the mist. A voice came from the mist. _"So, back to normal?" _came a voice.

Zack kept his eyes closed. "No. Not normal. Yet I feel that I should return to where you are. Cloud kept his promise. He's living for both our lives."

"_Is that good for you?"_

"I'm not sure. Please, I need your opinion."

"You know what I would say…"

Zack opened his eyes and looked around. He saw no one among the mist, but he could still feel the speaker's presence around him. "With me to the end?" he asked.

"On one condition…"

The mist began to swirl around Zack's sword as a green burst began to swirl around it as well. A quick flash, and there floating in the air was the Buster Sword. Zack gently grabbed it from its place in the air. He swirled it around and but it over his back, it's weight comforting. "Thank you, Angeal," Zack said as he started to walk back to where the others were camped.

* * *

Long chapter, but the action comes up next. Updates to be soon!

_Dezblade_


	21. 20: Dawn

Chapter 20: Dawn

Sora got up and yawned. "That was a good sleep."

He than noticed that only three of them were there. "Hey, where's Zack. He didn't go off to fight did he Namine?"

Before she could answer, Sora was knocked off of his feet. He fell down and felt metal against his throat. "Morning," said Zack.

"Hey! What are you doing Cloud's sword! And where'd the weird wrapping on it go?" Sora asked as Zack took the blade of the Buster Sword off Sora's throat.

"It's a long story, but to make is short, Cloud got the Buster Sword from me."

"Wait, you know Cloud!"

"Like I said, long story. And I don't feel like telling it. Now come on. It's almost dawn."

The four ventured through the underworld till they came at the entrance of the underdrome, Hercules already standing there. "You came," Hercules said.

Hades than appeared in a snap. "Well, Zack, do we have a deal?" he asked holding out his blue hand.

Zack looked at Hades. "On one condition."

"Condition?!" Hades said, about to burst.

"You'll get me back in the end, it's in your benefit," Zack said.

"Zack, what are you doing?" Sora asked.

Zack ignored him. "Yeah, I'll fight this Hercules guy. But this is just a match, nothing more. No bleeding, no death, just simple sparing till the other gives up. I get to live, for a little bit, not forever. Give me a month to live, then I return to the dead."

"You're gonna throw away your life when it's been handed to you?" Hercules asked.

Zack shook his head. "I died at an unfortunate time. I just want things to get settled right, than I'll go in peace for sure."

"Zack…are you sure?" Sora asked.

"He knows what he's doing Sora," Namine said.

Zack looked at Hades as the God of the Underworld scratched his chin. "Hm…seems interesting I suppose. I was hoping for a bit more action but you come back willingly…Hm…well, since you are coming back in a month precisely, that'll not break the laws of life and death contracts that all gods follow under…yada yada yada…yes! We have a deal." Hades said holding out his hand.

Hesitantly, Zack shook Hades hand, a smoke ring forming around their hands. "Alright than, let's get this show on the road!" Hades pronounced, snapping his fingers.

A smoke formed around everyone, as Sora held his hands up in defense, closing his eyes shut. When he opened them again he found that he, Namine, and Goofy were sitting in the Underdrome, Hercules and Zack facing each other. Simultaneously they readied their swords. "Let's get this show on the road!" Hades yelled from a small announcer booth near the top, his voice magnified.

A timer than appeared in blue flames opposite where Sora sat. The time was twenty minuets. "Panic, start the time already!"

Panic jumped in fright forgetting to start the time as his horns poked into Pain's side. "OW!" Pain yelled as he ran off and ran into a gong, and the timer began to count downwards starting the match.

The two contests ran forward with their swords and clanged them against each other. "You know, I'm sorry you got forced into this," Hercules said as he knocked Zack off his sword with his other arm.

Zack swung the Buster sword three times quickly as Hercules blocked all the blows. "Forced? It was my decision, not anyone's fault, except for the immortal talking flame."

Hercules than punched the ground, his great strength rocking the entire underdrome cracking the ground. Goofy cried out as he tried to regain his balance only to fall three tows of seats. Zack stood there if nothing had happened. "Two can play at this game," Zack said as his arm began to glow.

"What's he doing?" Sora said.

Zack sent his own fist into the ground, another earthquake shaking the Underdrome. "Aftershock!" Goofy yelled falling five rows of seats.

"No. It's Quake Materia. It's a form of magic Zack has," Namine said.

"So wait, he knows magic too? Neat," Sora said.

Hercules shook a little but stood his ground. "Well, this might prove to be interesting."

The two clashed swords again, Hercules' own god strength only slightly above Zack's near inhuman strength and speed. Sora than realized that even with Hercules having trouble in a match, Hades was saying nothing. Sora turned to look upwards and to see that the Lord of the Dead was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Hades?"

It seemed that Zack and Hercules also noticed this and stopped their fighting. "He's up to something," Hercules said.

Than the timer stopped. It froze on 18:35 minutes. Pillars of blue flame than appeared next to the clock and started to show images like on a static computer screen. Hades was seen, his fire hair flying back as if he were riding in the wind. "Hey there, why did you stop fighting, huh? Worried about me I suppose. No matter. You can finish your fight while I'm busy taking over Mt. Olympus."

"WHAT?!" everyone yelled.

Hades laughed. "You wondered why I needed you, huh Zack? It's because you would be the ultimate match against Hercules! And by the way, you can't leave the Underdrome till time's up, and it stops when you're not fighting. So, keep it up, heroes. Because you don't stand a chance. Even when you finish and get to Mt. Olympus, you'd be too exhausted to fight the Titans."

"The titans! You can't unlock them from their prison Hades!" Hercules said.

"Not alone, true wonder boy, but with the planets aligned with their power and my own, piece of cake. Soon, I shall rule the world and no longer be criticized. Soon everyone shall pay!"

The flames showing Hades disappeared, but the timer remained at 18:35. "He's crazy!" Sora shouted.

Than Hercules quickly reacted to the swing of the Buster sword and stepped aside as the timer continued to count down. "I don't like this more than you, but for everyone's sake we've got to do this," Zack said swinging his sword again, Hercules blocking it this time.

"Sora! Let's go after Hades! We don't have any deals set with him," Namine said.

"Yeah!"

Hercules quickly shoved Zack to the ground, then put his fingers to his lips and whistled. Pegasus than flew from above and landed near Sora, Namine, and Goofy. "You think you can carry all of us to Mt. Olympus?" Sora asked

Pegasus nodded and got down so the three could get on his back. Pegasus than spread his wings out, jumped and started to fly upwards with the three on his back as Hercules and Zack clanged their steel with their strength to keep the timer running.

******

Cloud couldn't believe it. He couldn't have lost it. There was no way he could have lost the Buster Sword. All he could find was the wrapping he had on it, random words scribbled on the wrapping. He tried to figure it out, but it wasn't legible. "I have to find it. I can't live both our lives without it," he said.

He opened up a secret door as a grand cabinet opened. Inside were several different swords, all of them similar to the Buster sword. He took them one by one and combined them together so they resembled the Buster Sword. He walked out the door of his house in Radiant Garden, his combination sword ready to attack any heartless that stopped him on his new quest.

* * *

Sorry about not updating, things have been busy, mass chaos really. So yeah, going a bit more like the Hercules movie here while also mixing intresting things with Cloud/Zack. Cloud no longer has the Buster Sword because Angeal's spirit gave it back to Zack and so on. In the end, Cloud now has the combination sword from Advent Children as his weapon. The next update, who knows? Hopefully soon.

_Dezblade_


	22. 21: Electrifying

Chapter 21: Electrifying

They rode up through the dead air until they reached the exit that lead out of the Underworld. Before they could get through, a series of lightning bolts flashed in front of the exit blocking it off. Pegasus whinnied and turned around in midair as the three cried out in alarm. Pegasus quickly landed to the ground before anyone fell off of him. Sora got off Pegasus as did Namine and Goofy. "You alright there Pegasus?" Sora asked.

"Uh…Sora?" Goofy said pointing.

Sora turned to see someone in an Organization coat, this one yellow. The hood was still up concealing their face. "The organization…or the Seekers now," Sora said.

The Seeker brought up their yellow gloved hands and threw back the hood revealing a young woman with blonde hair, two points coming back. "Well, here we are once again, except no duck this time."

"Larxene," Namine breathed.

"Namine. You haven't changed at all. Except for the clothing perhaps."

"Who are you?" Sora asked.

The Savage Nymph laughed. "That's right. You don't have your memories, do you? All washed away by the girl standing right next to you."

Sora looked at Namine curious. "What's she talking about?"

"Sora, you don't remember, and for good reason. It was either you didn't remember what happened and me, or forget all your past memories. And you choose to reclaim your past memories."

Sora was confused, but he nodded his head. "Well, if I made the choice, that means I'm fine with whatever happened!"

Larxene shook her head. "Tsk, tsk. You just never learn, do you Sora. Last time you may have been able to defeat me, but since my soul is beautiful and radiant, I have gown so much powerful."

She raised her hand in the air as electricity sparked from her gloves. The ground began to shake as the ground between them began to break up. And from the ground rose the Meman, sparks dancing all over its body. "You hurt my pet before, but now it will kill you and make sure not a single part of you survives," she said disappearing into a portal.

"Not again!" Goofy said raising his shield in front of him.

Sora and Namine readied their keyblades as the Soulz roared, electrical bolts flowing over its body. It than brought up it's massive wings and flapped them making it rise above them. "Sora! I've got an idea, but you've got to trust me," Namine said running towards Pegasus.

Sora looked at Goofy. "Can you keep it busy for us?"

"No problem. Just hurry!"

Sora ran towards Pegasus as Namine was already getting on the winged horses' back. "Can you get us up to it?" Namine asked.

Pegasus nodded as Sora got on. "Then let's go!" he yelled, keyblade ready.

Pegasus whinnied and left off from the ground and began to soar upwards. The Meman charged at them through the air, spraying acid from its masked face. Pegasus dodged it as Sora cast a Blizzard spell and Namine using an Aura. Neither seemed to effect the creature. "What's going on? It seemed weak to magic last time," Sora said.

"Larxene's electric filed must be blocking off the magic. But it looks like she got the tail covered too. And that was the only point where physical objects could harm it," Namine said before giving a slight scream as Pegasus dived to avoid a claw.

Goofy stood on the ground and threw his shield through the air. The shield flew through the air and hit the Meman in the side, the shield bouncing off and flying back towards Goofy. "Look over here ya big creature!" Goofy yelled as he caught his shield again.

The Meman seemed to have heard Goofy as it slowly turned around and dived down towards him. Pegasus flew above, when Namine shifted on the winged horse. Pegasus snorted and tried to regain his balance in the air, but it was too late as Namine fell downwards. "Namine!" Sora yelled trying to grab her with his hand, but he missed.

******

Hades unleashed his power onto the gate that held the titans as the power from the lined up planets began to break down the prison walls. "Zeus has trapped you for several years in this prison, now what do wish to do in return?!"

Four arms broke through the gate, with freedom at last. "DESTROY HIM!!!"

Hades grinned. "Excellent."

******

Namine watched as the Meman dived for Goofy. She couldn't let this happen to her friends. There might be only one way to stop this monster, this being made of so many poor souls. She shifted her weight, and fell off of Pegasus on purpose. "Namine!" Sora called from above, but she was already out of his reach.

She held Artist's Touch in front of her if she were to block a sword blow as it started to give a golden color. Streams of color seemed to wrap around Namine from her keyblade as everything went bright. She closed her eyes gently as the light twisted around her as she felt power flood into her. She opened her eyes again to see she was falling at a much slower rate. She than stopped falling as she floated in place above the Meman, which had noticed the light show above it.

Sora came down next to her on Pegasus gasping. "How did you do that?"

Namine's clothing now seemed to have a golden color to them. Her keyblade glowed the brightest, practically light itself. However, her glowing keyblade seemed to duplicate itself, the other one floating into her other hand. "Sora, I can't hold this for long. I should be able to break the barrier and than you can hit its weak point."

"You sure about this?" Sora asked readying the Kingdom Key.

"Yes. Come on, let's go!" She said as she flew down towards the Soulz now flying back towards them, losing interest in Goofy.

Sora followed on Pegasus as Namine met the Meman head on with the light keyblade and slashed the mask of it. Electrical sparks flew and hit Namine, only to bounce of the light barrier protecting her, but the electric field couldn't stop the light blades. The Meman cried out n pain as it flailed in the air, the electrical currents round its body disappearing for a moment. Sora had already jumped off of Pegasus and swung his keyblade at the tail of the Soulz. The Meman collapsed onto the ground as Goofy jumped out of the way, Sora and Namine landing near it on the ground. It began to fade away, small orbs of light floating up and dissolving in the air.

Namine stopped glowing, and her keyblade returned to normal, and she leaned up against a wall. "That…took more energy than I expected."

"What was that?" Goofy asked.

"Kairi is a princess of heart. That gives her unique abilities. Being connected to her, I have similar abilities. We're stronger together, but the power of a heart I can't do alone."

Sora nodded and saw Pegasus land near them. "You alright Pegasus?"

Pegasus nodded frantically and galloped towards the exit of the underworld, the lightning blocking the exit gone. "Yeah, we've got to get going before Hades does something!" Sora said running, Namine and Goofy following.

******

Zack breathed deep breaths, his energy disappearing. Hercules was doing no better. But they had to keep going. There was only ten seconds left on the timer. 9. Zack swung the Buster sword towards Hercules throat, but it was blocked. 8. Hercules kicked Zack down. 7. Zack jumped back to his feet and spun around in a circle with the Buster sword. 6. They clanged their swords against each other 5 times. 3. Zack made a downward sweep that Hercules jumped over. 2. "This is it," Hercules said.

clanged swords with Hercules, for the last time.0. The flame timer disappeared. "It's finished…" Zack said putting the Buster sword on his back, tired.

Than the Underdrome began to rumble. "What the?" Zack said looking around.

"Hades said it would be destroyed after we finished fighting. He's trying to kill us by collapsing it!"

"Nothing we can't handle!" Zack said running at an incredible speed towards the exit, parts of the ceiling starting to fall down, rocks breaking. The two warriors ran through the falling rubble as the Underdrome fell apart and sank into the unknown of the Underworld.

* * *

**Namine's Twilight Form**- Namine being the soulz of a nobody of a princess of heart, she can enter her own "drive" for which her powers are increased dramatically.

Larxene- a.k.a. The Yellow Coated Seeker. Former member XII of the organization, now returned as a Soulz. Her attitude has hardly changed at all, but she know has gauntlets in addition to her knives. She first appeared in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

Sorry about not updating, school has been busy among other things. This world shall be finished in a chapter or two so we can get to explore a new world that has not been in Kingdom Hearts. It'll be fun writing that when the time comes. And if I shouldn't make a post before than, Merry Christmas to all!

_Dezblade_


	23. 22:Mt Olympus

Chapter 22: Mt. Olympus

The three flew on Pegasus' back as they soared high into the air, dark clouds swirling around the mountain. "Oh-no. We're too late!" Goofy said.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Sora said as Pegasus began to fly through the dark clouds, as all they could see around them was dark magenta clouds. When they broke from the clouds, they gasped. What once must have been a magnificent palace was now covered in darkness and parts of it were crumpled. Pillars were broken apart and strewn around. Pools of molten structures lay on the floor as other structures were covered in icicles or completely frozen. Pegasus landed a broken staircase as the three slid off of him. "You should head back down. Hercules should be waiting for you," Sora said.

Pegasus nodded and spread his wings to glide down back to the ground. The three advanced cautiously up the stairs as they could hear wind blowing through the mountain top. They could hear shouts of several people and the clinking of chains. They quickly hid behind a broken pillar as a line of people walked towards them in chains. No, not people. Gods. The Gods and Goddesses of Mt. Olympus were in chains, heartless surrounding them making escape impossible. Pain and Panic flew above them taunting them. "We've got to do something," Goofy said.

Sora turned to see a dark portal open not far away. He could see the yellow coated seeker walk in an opposite direction. "Larxene," Namine breathed.

"Look, she must be after that part of the Royal Scroll too. I'll go after her while you two take care of the Heartless and Hades' minions. If you free some of the Gods they might be able to help you."

"Good luck Sora,' Namine said as Sora ran sneakily through the destroyed home of the Gods.

After a minute, he could see Larxene walking into a small room that hadn't been destroyed among all the rubble. He ran in after her. "Larxene!"

She turned around, surprised. "How did you get here?"

"Let's just say your 'pet' had to get some sleep."

Larxene faked crying. "Oh, you're so cruel!" She than stood up, an evil glare in her eyes. "Well, I guess this should determine who gets the Royal Scroll. I can beat you like a piece of pie."

Before Sora could summon the Kingdom Key, The roof of the small room was torn off. Sora looked up to see a massive rock hand pull away the roof. As the roof was thrown elsewhere, Sora could see it was the work a massive two headed rock monster. Hades was floating next to it. "My, my, my, what is it that we have here? The keyblader jerk and another one of you people in cloaks. This day has been getting very interesting."

"Hades! What have you done?" Sora said.

"Oh, nothing really. Just freeing the titans, capturing Zeus, and become the ruling God of the world. And let me tell you, this ruling bit is pretty spectacular. Not to mention the great view from up here."

"Look, I don't care want you're interested in doing, wack job, I'm just here for the Royal Scroll," Larxene looking at her gloves seeing as they were the only things of interest at the time.

"Oh, you mean this piece of paper?" Hades said holding up parchment.

Hades than snapped his fingers on his other hands as a blue fireball lit up and he brought it close to the scroll. "NO!" Sora and Larxene said at the same time.

Hades put a smirk on his face. "Really? This piece of paper that's been here since the beginning of time that isn't even legible is important to both of you?"

Hades than snapped his fingers again, only to make it disappear. "Well, guess you'll just have to find it for yourselves. Besides, no one can stop me now. I am the God above everyone!"

"That's not true Hades!"

Hades turned around to see Hercules and Zack on Pegasus flying straight towards them, both of their swords ready. "Hercules!" Hades shouted.

Pegasus dived down as Sora could hear a blast and several cheerful cries. The gods had been freed! Sora went to run out of the room, only to have an electrical field go in front of his path. "Not so fast Sora." Larxene said. "You and I have a matter to settle. After all, you killed me when I was a Nobody. Now it's only fair I return the favor!"

******

Zack jumped off Pegasus and swiped the buster sword through Heartless and chains holding the gods. The chains disappeared as the Gods cried in delight. Namine and Goofy created an explosion distracting the heartless, as well as taking some down. They continued to free the Gods from the chains as they caught up to each other. "You made it!" Goofy said.

"A little late, but we can reverse this!" Zack said freeing the last God, who gladly but his purple glasses back on. "Thank you so much! But Hades and the Titans trapped Zeus already," The god said.

Than the wind picked up. They turned around to see a tornado thousands of feet high, with two more tornados for arms and glaring red eyes. "BLOW THEM AWAY!!!!" A voice came from the wind titan as a fierce wind blew against them.

The flew off since he had wings on his shoes. Zack, Namine, and Goofy tried to hold their ground as the wind grew even stronger. Zack's arm began to glow again this time and he pointed it at the titan. "STOP!" he yelled as a purple stream of magic hit the living tornado.

Immediately, the tornado stood still, and the wind stopped. "Come on! It won't last forever!" Zack yelled running pas the titan ad Namine and Goofy followed him.

******

Hades was no longer on the rock titan as he commanded the lava titan and the ice titan to stop Hercules as the rock and wind titan went after the other gods along with the heartless. Hercules flew back and forth as both titans were missing him. "NO! THAT WAY!" Hades yelled pointing to the left as Hercules flew.

The lava monster missed as a stream of lava landed on Hades, covering him in the slimy lava. "NO! THE OTHER WAY!!"

The ice titan breathed blew freezing temperatures after Hercules, but he flew out of range as Hades was now covered in ice. "N-n-no-o-o y-y-y-you idiots!" Hades chattered.

Hades than lit himself on fire, breaking the ice of. "LOOK! BOTH OF YOU! AIM AT THAT ROOM NOW!" Hades yelled as Hercules flew over the room where Larxene and Sora were in.

The lava titan spewed his lava first, followed by the ice titan as they continued to make a hardening substance that missed Hercules once again but flowed into the room.

******

Larxene drew yellow daggers out of nowhere and readied a fighting stance. Immediately, she than disappeared. Sora whipped around hearing her giggle only to see her disappear yet again. He then heard make a battle cry as he turned around to see the dagger flying at him with lightning bolts following behind them. Quickly he brought up the Kingdom Key to block the attacks, blocking all of them but one. The last one flew by his cheek as it left a cut, blood coming out from it. Sora ran forward swiping the keyblade at Larxene, but she blocked it with her arms under the cloak. "What? You think I just hold daggers at you? I have endless supply thanks to these gauntlets Sora, so might as well just give up now!"

She than brought one arm forward as the metal beneath her cloak clanged with Sora's right arm. Sora fell to the ground, hurting. He might have beaten before, although he didn't remember such a thing, but she had defiantly improved in strength and skill. She spread her hands out, her daggers placed between her fingers again now attached to her hardly visible gauntlets making the daggers more like a cat's claws. She laughed as she walked over. "You've never been the hero Sora. Poor, little, Sora." She laughed more as she leaned her face close to his on the ground, her claws close to his neck. "You know, you're the first to fight these babies, so what do you think?"

"I think," Sora said in dark tone, "that you need to think things through!"

Sora then slammed the keyblade across Larxene's face with all the strength in his left arm making her fly across the room in a cry as she hit the wall and fell to the floor. "GrrrrrrAH!" She yelled and charged forward at Sora as he got back on his feet in a fighting stance.

She slashed forward as Sora jumped above her and swung the keyblade downwards. He missed her, but reached the ground again and slashed at the Savage Nymph. Using her clawed gauntlets, she blocked his slashes and brought some in return. The clashed in unison, neither one winning over the other. They brought their weapons close to each other's throats as they pushed back each other, each on trying to hold their footing. "Fact is Larxene, I've gotten stronger too. And you're not only on with tricks up your sleeves."

"Oh really? And would make the keyblade master say that?" she said.

Sora jumped back as Larxene fell forward, but regained her balance as Sora pulled a charm from his pocket. "Peter Pan!" Sora yelled as a small portal opened next to him as a kid in green and a small fairy flew out. "Hey there Sora!" Peter Pan said grabbing onto Sora as Tinkerbell sprinkled fairy dust on Sora and he began to float in the air.

Sora and Peter Pan both glided through the air as they attacked Larxene from the air as Tinkerbell healed Sora's wounds with magic. They swirled around as the Savage Nymph went to block most of their attacks with her gauntlets, but a few strikes were able to hit her. "Gotta go!" Peter Pan said quickly as he and Tinkerbell returned to their own world and Sora landed back on the ground.

Larxene gave a small humph. "Yeah, you've got friends that come and go. But when you are alone, you're weak."

Sora gave a smile. "Really? Like when I beat Xemnas by myself?"

Before the savage nymph could respond, an odd substance began to flow in through the ceiling. Before it hit the ground steaming, Larxene teleported through a portal disappearing. Sora ran for the door and slammed it behind him before the substance could reach him, but he quickly backed away as some of it began to flow through the cracks of the doorway. The substance quickly set into place and turned into stone turning the room into a rock. "That was too close for comfort."

"Sora!"

Sora turned to see Zack, Namine, and Goofy running towards him. "You alright?" Sora asked Zack.

"I'm fine, but if we don't do something quick, there's going to be a lot more trouble," Zack said.

At the sound of a roar, they turned around to see the rock titan slamming giant boulders onto a molten rock in the shape of a pyramid. Hercules jumped from the sky above off of Pegasus joining them. "Father…he's in there," Hercules said.

"Zeus is trapped in that?" Namine said.

The ice titan than stepped forward and roared at them. The Rock titan also walked forward as the magma titan continued to heave magma on top of Zeus' prison. "We've got to free Zeus!" Goofy said.

"Yeah, but the Titans look like they have a different idea," Sora said.

Zack spun around the Buster sword and readied himself. "Chill out! I got the ice mutant, you three handle rocky, and Hercules can free his dad. Sound good enough?"

"On your own?" Sora asked as Hercules ran off without asking twice.

Zack grinned. "Are you kidding me?Piece of cake," he said running forward towards the ice titan. Sora nodded as he, Namine, and Goofy ran forward to attack the rock titan.

* * *

Next chapter to up soon. Heck, I might get the next two up tonight and tomorrow If i'm lucky. Stay tunned! Read and Review the fiction and send me ideas, because I'm open to any anyone might have.

_Dezblade_


	24. 23: Honor

Chapter 23: Honor

Zack ran forward towards the ice titan as it roared at him again. "Well, well, well my friend. Summer just called. It said to take a break!" **Neku's Playlist:** **Last Order-Crisis Mix here ****by Takeharu Ishimoto**** from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII OTS**

The ice titan breathed ice onto the ground Zack was on, but Zack simply plunged the Buster Sword into the ice and used it to flip himself over into the air and carrying it with him soaring through the air and slashed at the being's right arm. The Buster Sword managed to cause a small cut on the ice skin of the creature, but hardly hurt the thing. Zack twirled around in midair and touched feet first against a pillar, and jumped off of it to fly over the ice titan's head and swung twice into its head.

He landed back to the ground as the thing cried out in pain, but it advanced as the floor around began to freeze over. Zack ran towards its left leg, but slipped on the ice and slid like a baseball player. Taking advantage of the situation, he swung the Buster sword horizontally around him turning into a deadly hockey puck as he hit the left foot of the ice titan five times he was spinning so fast.

As Zack slowly got back to his feet due to his dizziness and the slippery ground, the ice titan breathed ice on him as his entire body shoulders down became covered in a thick ice. The ice titan continued to breath ice on him making the ice colder and thicker. Zack's arm glowed again. "Think you're so cool, huh? Too bad you can't use Materia. FLARE!"

Everything seemed to glow in the fiery blast that Zack surrounded himself in disintegrating all the ice around him and blowing the ice titan back throw the air and through a series of pillars that began to fall over on top of it. "Start rolling the credits because that had better been the end!" Zack said butting the Buster Sword back on his back.

*******

Sora, Namine, and Goofy had attacked the Rock titan for at least five minutes now, and it fell over with ease to the ground unconscious. "One lump of rocks down!" Sora said twirling the Kingdom Key around.

Zack than ran over, looking tired. "Took you long enough Sora. Guess you do got some guts."

"What made you think I didn't?" Sora said.

They were than interrupted by the magma titan flying over their heads and crashing nearby where the ice titan lay. The four turned around to see Hercules throwing large boulders on top of Zeus's' prison to the side. He than grabbed the top of it and ripped it off with all his strength. A bright light shone through as Zeus, king of the Gods, emerged from his prison shouting with excitement. "My boy! You've done it!"

"Oh no he hasn't!" Hades yelled releasing a pillar of flames around Zeus and Hercules.

"What, you're going to stop Zeus and Hercules with fire?" Zack laughed.

Roars made the four friends turn around to see the four titans behind them, all of them ready to fight. "Well this makes thing interesting," Zack said.

The fire surrounding Zeus and Hercules disappeared and as they both ran out. "Hades, you're mad!" Zeus said.

"Mad, brother? If you had been stuck in a cold, clammy place your entire existence, you'd be pretty mad yourself and your only company are the dead!" Hades yelled, the fire on him turning from blue to red.

Goofy scratched his head. "Well, I guess if you look at it that way-"

"It doesn't matter! When I'm done with all of you, nothing will matter and I, Hades, WILL RULE ALL!!!" he yelled as walls of fire sprang up.

The titan began to advance, but they were stopped by enormous blots of lightning sent from Zeus. "Now what do you think of your old man?" He yelled charging after the titans.

Hades looked a little worried for a second. "Oh, crud."

Hercules than punched Hades right in the face with his full strength causing his face to cave in inwards all squished together. "Mhm ma mer ith aiud usdj!" Hades said.

Sora and Goofy pointed at Hades and laughed as Namine gave a small giggle. Hades than popped his face back out looking even more frustrated. "You will pay for that!" Hades yelled.

Pegasus flew from behind and snorted from behind Hades, and the fire disappeared over his head. Hades, shocked, reached on tip of his head and felt it. "Whoa is my hair out?"

They laughed even harder, Zack even giving a small chuckle. Hades glared even more as they were all surrounded by a ring of bright fire. "IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!" he yelled, red fire covering him again as he readied a fireball in his hands.

The five readied themselves a glow came over Hercules. "This should do the trick!" he yelled causing to glowing orbs to appear in his hands.

Sora ran forward and hit the glowing ball in Hercules left hand with the keyblade while Namine did the same with the one on Hercules' right hand. One glowing orb collided with the fireball about to hit them as the other one knocked Hades back several yards. Hades had returned to blue flames, but still chucked another fireball at them. Goofy blocked it with his shield as Zack ran forward with the Buster Sword, He than swung it with all his might hitting Hades with the blunt side sending him flying off the palace of Mt. Olympus and back towards the Underworld. Sora looked over the edge as he could see Hades getting fainter and fainter, his screams dieing away slowly. "Serves him," Sora said.

"But what about the titans?" Namine asked.

Sora turned around to see Hercules at the base of the tornado titan, and swung it around back and forth as it sucked up the rest of titans inside of it. Zeus struck several lightning bolts inside the tornado titan, electrocuting all of them at once as Hercules swung the titans around and flung into space never to be seen again. "Whoa…" Goofy said staring up into the sky.

The dark clouds began to disappear around Mt. Olympus as the blue sky was visible again and the clouds white. "We did it!" Sora said pumping his fist in the air.

Zeus walked over to them, a large smile on his face. "Thank you. All of you. The God's will be in your debt. Without you and Hercules, Hades might have gotten us all. Is there anything we could do for you?"

Sora, Namine, and Goofy explained than of why they came in the first place searching for the ancient scroll. Zeus scratched his chin, and snapped his fingers. The scroll piece appeared in front of Sora. "This has been here since the beginning of time. It seems you know what it is for, and how it will be useful to the worlds. Take it as a gift."

"Thank you Zeus!" Sora said putting the scroll piece in his pocket.

"Guess that means you'll be heading off than," Hercules said.

"Yeah. We've got to catch up with the others and see how they're doing," Goofy said, waving good bye as he went to prepare the gummi ship.

Zack slowly started to walk away from them, but Sora ran after him. "Hey, Zack!"

Zack turned around. "Aren't you supposed to be getting somewhere Sora?" he asked.

"Well what about you? You could come with us!"

Zack waved his hand. "Thanks, but I'll pass. We both have our own missions to do."

"Right, you wanted to settle what happened with your life," Sora remembered from that morning.

"And what are you going to do?" Zack asked.

Sora shrugged. "We're up against some group, and they want to do something to destroy the world sor something. The ancient scroll is the only way to find out what they're after. I'm not sure how this will all work out, but we'll figure out a way."

Zack gave a small laugh. "You remind me of him."

"Who?"

"Cloud."

"Yeah, you never told us how you got his sword."

Zack sighed. "It's more like our sword, plus my mentor's. Like I said, it's a long story."

Both were silent for a small bit. "Sora, I want you to remember something."

"Huh?"

Zack brought the Buster Sword so faced sideways in front of his face. Sora did the same with his Keyblade. Zack than rested his head against the sword and closed his eyes. Sora did the same. Sora could than hear Zack's voice. "Embrace your dreams. And no matter what, protect your honor."

Sora opened his eyes to see Zack walking off, the Buster Sword proudly on his back. Sora gave a small smile as he lowered the Kingdom Key as he heard Goofy approach with the gummi ship. "Good luck Zack," Sora said, and turned around to leave when he saw something.

It was a small orange orb laying on top of a piece of paper. Sora picked them both up and read the paper. _Sora, this may be of use to you. It helped me in times of need. I hope the same goes for you. Zack._

Sora pocketed the orb as he felt a great energy coming from it. "Come on Sora!" he could hear Namine yell from the Gumi ship.

Sora than towards the ship back to his friends.

Zeus- Ruler of the Gods and Hercule's father. Hades trapped him trying to rule the world, but Zeus came back and Hades was defeated. Zeus first appeared in Hercules.

Alright, the end of the Colesium world, and onto the next. Where will Riku, Roxas and the King be going? You'll find out.

Also some christmas goodies. I made a sprite animation and Namine sketch on DA. The link is on my profile.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

_Dezblade_


	25. 24: Here there be Monsters

Chapter 24: Here there be Monsters

Riku woke up suddenly in his bed, taking deep breaths. He silently swore to himself. That dream. It was so real. He had been at the crossroad back when he and the King had left Castle Oblivion a year ago. Diz, or Ansem, asked them about which road they were taking, as he chooses the Road to Dawn. Than in the dream, the memory took a twist. He had suddenly turned to see a dark figure walking down another path: the path to darkness. Everything had gone dark, and he woke up.

Riku slowly got of the bed he was in and showered and put back on his freshly cleaned clothes and headed to the cockpit of the gummi ship. Roxas was sitting in the captain's chair, but the Gummi was still on auto pilot. "What are you doing?" Riku asked.

Roxas jumped slightly, but relaxed. "You scarred me there."

Riku sat in a chair next to him. "You know, it's kind of weird when you think about it."

"What, us being on the same side?"

"Exactly. Go back a few weeks we were fighting each other with the keyblades."

"Well, I guess Sora is the one can blame for us being on the same side. Not to mention I was really fighting with you two against Xemnas. Not physically, but I was fighting with Sora. Know what I mean?"

Riku nodded. "I once had a nobody, I think."

"What do you mean you think?" Roxas asked.

"You wouldn't know. This was back at Oblivion. I clone of me they said, but I actually think he was my nobody. It's hard to say, but he was so real to be a copy."

Roxas gave a humph thinking to himself. Before either one of them could say anything more, the King came into the cockpit. "Good morning fellas!"

"You majesty," they both said as King Mickey looked at the controls of the ship.

"So, how close are we to this world?" the King asked.

"We should be there in about five minutes actually. It'll be night there though," Roxas said looking at one screen on a control panel.

Riku looked at another one showing inhabitants of the world. "Uh…Mickey? There's no humans in this world.

Mickey looked at the screen Riku was looking at and thought. "Welp, we're going to have to depend on that good old transformation magic."

"You mean those things Sora went through when he went to certain worlds?" Roxas asked.

The King nodded. "Exactly. I won't have to change that much guessing by the looks of it, but the changes you two go under might be a little…strange."

"Great. This should be interesting," Riku said leaning back in his chair as the world came into view.

As their decent began, King Mickey moved his hands around as sparks flew from his hands and hit the three of them. Riku began to feel a tingling feeling all along his body that was oddly enough ticklish as they entered through the atmosphere and prepared to land.

********

The night was dark lit up by the moon and light posts, as well as some odd shaped cars headlights that passed by. The three slowly walked out of the alleyway that they had hidden the Gummi Ship as the stepped into the edge of the light. "Seriously, this is freaky an almost unrecognizable Riku said.

The only things that stayed the same about Riku was his eyes and his silver hair, although it seemed a bit shorter on him. Other than that, his skin had become a dark blue lizard skin. He only had three fingers and his opposable thumbs, but claws rather than fingernails. He also had a short tail that reached the ground. "What am I? A freak gecko?"

Roxas felt a little odd too. If anything, he had become a walking red fox, tail and all, his hands similar to Riku's losing a finger. He still had his spiky blonde hair, but seemed to a tint of orange too. The problem he was having with his muzzle. "Itz kinda hard to talk with this," he said moving his much larger tongue around trying to speak.

The King hadn't changed that much. His eyes seemed to be a bit smaller along with his ears as they seemed more pointed than round. It looked like he had also had more hair on his arms, legs, and tail giving him a fatter appearance. Thankfully, they still all had their clothes though, all slightly modified to fit their new forms. "Welp, we're going to have to get used to them fast to fit in here."

"Where exactly are we anyways," Roxas asked.

The King pointed to a large billboard across from the street that said in bold letters "WELCOME TO MONSTROPOLIS!" "Monstropolis, huh?" Roxas said.

"So, we're supposed to look like monsters?" Riku asked rubbing his left arm.

The King nodded. "I think it's safe to keep our names here fellas, but you must refer to me as Mickey no matter what. No one must know of my royalty here."

Riku and Roxas nodded as they walked through the city with Mickey walking behind them. After a few minutes, they could hear sirens sounding off. "That can't be good," Riku said running now.

The three than saw a restaurant, several vans pulling up, and the letters CDA printed on the side of them. Several beings in biohazard suits than came out and started to contain the building as several monster began running out, trying to escape. "What is going on?" Mickey asked a running monster.

"Run! Before they get to you!" he yelled as Roxas noticed two monsters running holding an odd package that seemed to move.

"Hey! Look at those two," Roxas said pointing out the large blue monster, a smaller green on next to it.

"All of you! Halt!" said a voice over a megaphone, most likely a CDA agent.

"Uh-oh, I think we don't want a welcoming party," Riku said running away from the restaurant.

"Let's follow those two. Seems like they know something that's going on," Roxas said as he first began to follow the two, Riku and Mickey quick on his tail, literally.

* * *

Yes, this is based off of Monsters Inc. by Disney's Pixar. Now that Disney owns them, it's fair game. Hopefully soon I will have a sketch of the transofrmed trio on my DA account within a week, hopefully soon. My DA account link is on my profile, so check it out there. If anyone has any suggestion for this world, drop me a review with your comments and ideas. And have a Happy Holiday season!

_Dezblade_


	26. 25: The Monster's Apartment

Chapter 25: The Monster's Apartment

The three stood in the shadows of the apartment building that they had seen the two monsters with the mysterious package run into. "You sure about this Roxas?" Riku asked.

"We won't know until we find out," Roxas said running up the stairs and entered with Riku and Mickey close behind.

They climbed up a set of stairs, than another taking them to the third floor. Once there, they saw a door quickly slam shut. "That must be them," Mickey whispered.

Riku came close to the door and leaned up against it. "Oh what are we going to do Sully? What are we going to do? You had to show up in the middle of my date to bring that _thing_ in a box and than those dark things started sprouting all over the restaurant!"

"Shh! Mike, keep your voice down. Be quiet!" the other said in a quiet tone.

There was a sound that Riku couldn't quite make out, but the other two screamed in response. "The dark things!" the first voice cried out.

"That does it," Riku said grabbing the doorknob and turned it, but it was locked. He kicked at the door furiously trying to break it down, but it still held. "And now somebody's breaking in!" said the first voice again.

"Move!" Roxas said taking out Oblivion and pointed it at the door.

A brief beam of light emitted from the keyblade as it connected with the doorknob as an unlocking noise was heard. Riku than twisted the knob and opened the door wide open. He screamed in surprise at the sight of an enormous blue, hairy creature with horns on its head roaring at him. The monster than screamed at seeing Riku and fell backwards. Riku than saw what the monster was roaring at. Three Neoshadow heartless stood frozen in fright from the roar. Roxas and Mickey jumped into the room with keyblades out and made short work of the heartless. Riku closed the door behind him as the blue monster began to get to its feet and look at them. "Who are you? How'd you get in here?" it demanded.

Another door in the apartment opened as a green thing walked out, and odd mask over it's face. Roxas and it turned to look at it as Roxas yelped in shock. The green short being had one enormous eyeball that took up most of its entire body leaving a small nose and it's mouth below the eye. "Gah! Who are you?!" The green one exclaimed, a large diving mask covering his one eye.

"Look fellas, I think we might have gotten off on the wrong page," Mickey said stepping between the four.

"But your…Mickey they're monsters!" Roxas said stopping himself from saying majesty.

"Uh, aren't we all?" the large blue one said.

Riku was still stunned at seeing the monster. He couldn't speak. The green one stepped up to Mickey, being as tall as the mouse himself. "Look pal, I don't know who you are, but you just entered our apartment without permission! Not to mention with those odd weapon things you got there."

"Mike," said the blue one in a calm voice. "They just got rid of the creatures that nearly attacked us."

"Oh…they did?" the green one said, his one eyebrow rising up in curiosity.

"Right. We heard screaming and we thought someone was in trouble," Roxas said.

Riku slowly nodded, but didn't say anything. Then there was another noise from the door the green one had just come from. The two monsters ran from the door screaming again as they ran to the other side of the apartment and hid behind a sofa. Roxas brought Oathkeeper out to accompany Oblivion for whatever came from the other room. Than a small human child walked out of the room. A girl in fact. Roxas moved his weapons to the side looking at the child in curiosity. "Mickey, I thought you said this world was a world of monsters, not humans," Roxas said quietly so only The King and Riku could hear him.

"But it is…" Mickey said.

Riku starting to come out of his shocked daze walked towards the child. The green monster than looked over the couch. "DON'T TOUCH IT!!!" he yelled as he ran over, oven mitts now on his small hands. He past them grabbing the small girl with the oven mitts holding her away as far from him while trying to put her in a small waste bin.

Unfortunately, he tripped over a small dumbbell and flew across the room, dropping the girl back onto a rug as he screamed and hit the wall, falling into the waste bin himself. The wall shook the bookshelf next to the waste bin as books on the top fell on top of the green monster comically. The girl saw this and started laughing really loud as all the light is the room began to glow extremely bright in the room until a fuse was broken and all the electricity went out.

The blue one looked over the couch. "What was that?"

"Laughter," Riku said matter of factually as the little girl now giggled.

The small green one climbed out of the waste bin rubbing his head. "Why didn't you attack the human!" it said.

"Attack a little girl? Are you mad?" Riku said.

"It's a human! Are you mad!?" the green monster said.

Mickey stepped between the two, playing peace keeper once again. "Fellas, please! Look, we're new around here and we don't know much about the way things go around here."

"New?" The green one said.

"Look, Mike, they stopped those dark things, and we should be thankful for that," the blue one said walking closer.

"But there is still a child here! A _human_ child Sully! That is a major problem. Not to mention it blew all the electricity out."

The girl continued to giggle on the floor. "Look, perhaps if we knew a bit about each other, maybe we might learn something from each other," Mickey said.

"Mike Wazoski," said the small green one walking in a large circle away from the child to stand next to the blue one again.

"James P. Sullivan," said the blue one, "but Mike and friends call my Sully."

"Well I'm Mickey. This is Roxas and Riku. It sure is nice to meet ya," Mickey said putting away his keyblade.

"I beg to differ," Riku said stepping forward. "Me and this 'Sulivan' have met before."

The blue monster surprised. "We have? I don't recall meeting you before, although you remind me of someone at work."

"Really, I'm guessing the name Riku doesn't ring a bell?" He than brought one of his odd scaled hands to his silver hair. "Especially with silver hair."

"Riku, how could you have ever met him before?" Roxas said.

Riku turned to Roxas, but faced the large blue monster again. "He was the monster in my closet when I was a kid."

* * *

James P. Sullivan- Scaer resident of and works for Monsters Inc. Sully first appeared in Monsters Inc.

Mike Wazoski- Sulley's assistant and best friend. Mike first appeared in Monsters Inc.

Yep, Riku had monsters in the closet when he was a kid too. Hard to imagine, but apparently Riku's not to happy to meet Sully again.

In other news...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I resolve to get chapters up more often. Hopefully I won't break that resolution. I'm going to try to make this world go much faster than the coluseium so the fanfiction can keep flowing. Also when I said about sketches of the monster forms of Riku and Roxas getting put on my DA...yeah, not going to happen because my scanner went wacko. Sorry X_X.

More to come soon!

_Dezblade_


	27. 26: Monster's Inc

Chapter 26: Monsters Inc.

Riku walked behind the group talking with Mickey. "I still don't trust him."

"Listen Riku, we have to trust them otherwise we might not find the Royal Scroll."

Riku sighed. "I know…"

Last night after Riku had spilled the beans about not being a monster, but a human that Sullivan had scared when he was a child, Mickey had to explain about their quest going to several different worlds looking for the Royal Scroll. "Well sorry about scaring you all those years Riku, but it's how my job goes."

"Job?" Roxas had asked.

The two monster than explained how their company, Monsters Inc., worked and how scaring children gave energy, although humans were very deadly to the monsters making it a risky job. Yet when Roxas picked up the girl at one point, he didn't feel any different. Mike had taken the child quickly out of Roxas' hands with oven mitts and placed her in the wastebasket saying even though they were normally human, she could still be lethal. Sully than explained of how he had accidentally discovering the child when late at work filing some paperwork when he sound a door left on the scare floor. The only solution the five had come up was for in the morning to send the child back through her door to her room on her world, and than search for the Royal Scroll.

The five walked towards the company building main entrance, Roxas carrying the child Sully had started to call Boo (since it was the only words she had spoken) in a makeshift costume giving her the appearance of a young monster. As they neared the building, Sully began to speak in a quiet voice. "Look, as long as you stick with me or Mike, no one should act suspicious. Now just act casual."

The monster opened the door and entered, and they all gasped at the sight inside. The entire entrance room was Neoshadows. "Heartless!" Riku said jumping forward summoning Road to Dawn as Mickey summoned his own keyblade.

Riku slashed through the Neoshadows quickly, even knocking one down with his new tail. Roxas holding Boo, Mike, and Sully ran for it as Mickey protected them from heartless approaching them. As Riku finished a tenth Neoshadow, he saw the Neoshadows beginning to disappear, a new kind of heartless taking their place. These heartless stood on two legs and were slightly taller than Riku. Their heads were black and flat faced with two triangular eyes, a jaw full of green teeth snapping. Their torso was covered by a heartless symbol as their body gave off a glowing blue sheen. The dangerous thing about them was the long pointed claws that stuck out of their fists that were a golden yellow. Six of these monster heartless took the place of the Neoshadows and ran towards Riku.

Riku swung Road to Dawn at the first one taking it by surprise with a battle cry knocking it down to the ground. Riku than stabbed it as it was on the ground and brought the keyblade back up fast enough to parry the blow from another's claws. Oddly, the creature had more strength than it showed as it gave a little push sending Riku flying through the air and skidding to the tile floor. Two more ran inhumanly fast towards Riku reading their claws to stab him. Before they could reach him, Riku let his darkness flow from him as he lifted up into the air. One of them jumped five feet to reach him, but they missed and fell back on their feet as the room turned dark as Riku began to fly forward through the air with Road to Dawn in front of him. He sliced through one of the heartless and disappeared into a portal of darkness only to appear out of another portal and slice through another one of the heartless and continued doing so until he had teleported six time leaving the heartless slightly dazed. He zoomed to the floor and stabbed his keyblade into the ground as Dark Firagras erupted from the floor destroying the heartless as the room returned to normal and Riku took his keyblade out of the floor. "And I'm just getting warmed up," he said out loud to himself.

He turned around to see Mickey walking towards him. "Brutes. They're nasty types of heartless that have appeared lately. They are probably some of the most strongest I've ever seen. You've got be careful around them."

"Did you get the others out of here?"

"Yep. We better catch up with them."

****

Sully stood outside the bathroom stall. Roxas stood near the door to the locker room waiting for Mike or Riku and the King to arrive. Boo was in the bathroom stall humming a small song as Roxas swished his tail back and forth still trying to get used to the thing. A flushing noise than came from the toilet. "Are you done in there? Hello?" Sully asked as he opened the stall door, only to find it empty!

He gasped as he looked in the small stall, but there was nothing but running water. He than heard a giggle behind him as he turned around to see the little girl behind him with her hood off. "Boo!"

"Well aren't you a tricky one," Sully said.

Right than, Shadows appeared in the locker room and the girl screamed in fright. Roxas summoned his keyblades as Sully picked the girl up protectively putting the hood back over her head. "You get her out of here! I'll deal with these!" Roxas said slashing through a shadow as Sully ran for the door.

****

Riku and Mickey walked to see Mike franticly searching through a pile of key cards. "Well?" Riku asked.

"I don't know kid, I have no idea which door is hers. All I have is a description of what her door looks like. Pink with flowers on it. I'm looking at the files and so far nothing."

Just than Sully ran past them in the hall, heartless following him. "I could use some help!" he yelled as he ran down the hall.

Mickey jumped in and started fending off heartless while Riku and Mike chased after Sully. A few minutes later, Roxas came up to Mickey as the Shadow Heartless disappeared. Roxas than saw a shadow go under the crack of a door and kicked down the door to chase it. He ran onto the empty scare floor, Mickey close behind him. "Where'd it go?" Roxas asked.

Than the floor began to shake. A dark gold portal opened in front of them as an enormous glowing ball began to rise from the floor and float in the air. "What is that?" Roxas asked.

"I think we've got a dangerous lost soul here," Mickey said.

The sphere disappeared as a large four armed being that stood on two legs took up the entire height of the scare floor. An alien shaped head with no eyes or face, but a large mouth that seemed to have a jagged shape. It's body looked like a mix between a Darkside and a Twilight Thorn as it advanced the two. "So…what do you think?" said a mysterious voice.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked.

"I don't believe that's any of your business. But you and your friends are enemies of the Seekers. Henceforth, you shall be destroyed by this Zirit," said the voice.

The two golden left arms fell towards the two as they jumped out of the way. Roxas slammed both of his keyblades into the being's arm, but they became stuck. The Zirit brought it's arms back up with the keyblades still in them and Roxas still holding onto them. He yelped in surprise as he was hurled upwards and collided with the rafters in the ceiling. Only than did the keyblades loosen from the Soulz's arm and he began to free-fall. In the air he was able to land on the being's shoulder. He ran on the odd skin and jumped slashing the two keyblades in the air. However, the Zirit quickly moved anticipating the attack so it's odd mouth now faced Roxas, jaws open. Roxas quickly moved the two keyblades into a defense position as he pried the jaw open with Oblivion and threw Oathkeeper in a Strike Raid into the Zirit's mouth.

It moaned in pain as the creature fell to the ground as Roxas jumped down to the tile floor regaining his balance. Mickey than jumped forward and began to slash frequently at the Zirit's head as it shook slightly. A few seconds later, it got up on it's legs and beat the ground quickly with it's arms creating an earthquake. Parts of the scare floor cracked as Roxas and the King tried to stand their ground. "It'll blow the whole place down!" Roxas said.

"Pearl!" The King quickly said as a quick light bounced from the edge of his keyblade and flew in the air and hit the Soulz in the head.

The Zirit became stunned for a moment as it stopped banging the ground and Roxas could actually stand on his feet now. "Mickey!"

"Welp, here it goes!"

The two ran forward together and jumped into the air at the same time as they were just beneath the waist of the Zirit. Roxas than took the edge of Oathkeeper snatching onto Mickey's keyblade and swung hard sending Mickey flying up into the air in a summersault hitting the front of the Zirit as he went. Mickey than grabbed a hold of a rafter in the ceiling and swung his keyblade down. Roxas jumped off the body of the Zirit, twisted around in midair so he feet met the King's keyblade. He than bounced off of the King's keyblade as he shot through the air swiping both of his keyblades in an "X" in the Zirit's head.

The Zirit fell to the ground, Roxas and the King both free-falling towards the ground. The Zirit dissolved into the air before it hit the ground as Roxas and Mickey fell to the ground, although only Mickey fell on his feet. "Ow…that hurt," Roxas said lying on his back.

"Roxas! Are you alright? Curagra!" The king said pointing his keyblade up in the air.

A green light and bells quickly hung over Roxas' head as he felt the pain slowly go away, cuts on his arms heal over. He slowly got up, not wanting to put the healed wounds to great stress. "Thanks, Mickey."

"Come on. We better find the others quickly."

****

Riku sliced through the second to last Brute. Mickey was right. These heartless didn't go down easily. How many had he fought now distracting them from Sully, Mike, and Boo? Must have been over a hundred. He held Road to Dawn in a defensive position as the last heartless advanced closer towards Riku, a sinister look in it's eyes. All of the sudden though, it lifted off of the ground as it brought it's claws near it's neck wiggling it's legs franticly in the air. "What the?" Riku said out of breath.

The heartless than went limp as it flew through the air and smashed into a wall, disappearing as a heart rose up into the air and disappeared. Than a purple lizard appeared in the spot where the Brute was destroyed. "Now isn't that a shame," he said.

"Who are you?" Riku asked noticing a resemblance between the two of them.

"Name's Randall. And I camouflage into my surroundings."

Randall than disappeared once again and Riku couldn't tell where he was. He than felt something very heavy hit him in the back of the head. "Oh, and did I mention I work for Maleficent?" Riku heard right before everything went black.

* * *

_Mickey's Keyblade Aether-_Aether is a move from the Fire Emblem series, so I incorporated it into a limit.

Boo- A young human that wandered into the monster world. Her screams channel energy, her laughter even more. Boo first appeared in Monsters Inc.

Randall Boggs- Rival of Sullivan, and also can camouflage himself. He also know works for Maleficent. Randall first appeared in Monsters Inc.

Sorry about not updating. My computer crashed. X_X Not fun. I made this one long to make up for that. I shall be finishing this world soon. Within another two chapter's I'd say. Also before the world ends, there will be a new summon charm. If you guess the summon in a review, you get to come up with a new kind of Soulz! How awesome is that? So yeah, chapter to be up soon. Sorry for all the delay.

_Dezblade_


	28. 27:Robots and Doors

Chapter 27: Robots and Doors

Roxas and the King caught up with Sully and Mike. "Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, and we finally caught up with our boss. We explained everything to him. We think Randall might be involved in it," Sully said.

"Who?" Mickey asked.

"Randall, he's another guy that scares, but he's kind of creepy," Mike explained.

Right than, a Monster on several legs walked out, a suit on. "Ah, I see these are your friends you told me about," their boss said. "I am Henry J. Waternoose the third, CEO of Monsters Inc."

"How do ya do," Mickey said. "I'm Mickey."

"Roxas."

"Sullivan, didn't you say there was another with you?" asked Waternoose.

"Well, we got sidetracked by the Heartless," Sully said.

"Riku can handle himself, he's been in worse," Roxas said.

Waternoose guided them down a hallway and opened a door where a slot waiting for a door to a child's room to appear. "The only sensible thing that we can do is send the child back to where she belongs," he said as he swiped a card through a slot.

A door than descended from above and slid into the slot. Roxas looked at the door, confused as the red light above it turned on. It was completely metal and seemed to be barred. That defiantly didn't look like a little girl's door. "Uh, sir? That's not Boo's door."

Waternoose sighed. "I know it's not," he said taking Boo into his hands.

All of the sudden, a lizard appeared out of no where opened the door with an evil grin as a blast of snow flew through the door. "It's yours," he said giving the four a large push with his weight.

They all fell forward into a pile of snow as snowflakes and wind flung into their face. Sully quickly got up and tried to run back to the door as Boo cried out, but the metal door slammed in his face. He quickly opened, but the door already had been deactivated and it opened only to show more of the winter mountain terrain. "NO!"

"Nice going Sully! Now we've become banished!" Mike yelled.

But Roxas and Mickey didn't even notice Mike and Sully arguing staring at the large thing before them as more shivers went down their spines. It creped Roxas out even more because now having a tail, that shiver traveled even further. "Oh…my…" Roxas said, his breath visible in the freezing air.

Mike and Sully stopped and turned as well to gasp. The behemoth before them all of them sudden leaned down. "Welcome to the Himalayas!!! Snow cone?"

*****

Riku moaned rubbing his head. Well, he thought the voice of Randall sounded familiar when he crashed Maleficent's party back on Radiant Garden. He opened his eyes to find himself on an extremely large pile of trash. Apparently Randall had thrown him down into the garbage area where he could here extremely large machines. He stood up and looked around, trying to look for a way out. Before he could do anything however, the ground shook violently sending him down onto his face.

Riku looked up to see a series of bright lights shining down towards him as large machine arms began to clump around the trash around he sat on. He than saw that the arms were pushing the trash and Riku towards a large opening. Quickly getting to his feet, Riku ran in the opposite way trying to avoid the large opening. In a matter of seconds Riku jumped off of the trash landing on a smaller portion of trash that the machine left behind. He turned than to see a large door conceal of the rash and saw it had entered a cube like shape. The cube compressed, retuned to normal size, the door opened, and revealed all of the trash in a cube form. "A garbage robot," Riku thought to himself as he watched the robot pick up the large cube of trash and put it on a pile of other 'cubes' of trash.

Riku than felt something hit his leg. He quickly turned around to see a small robot about up to his knees give out a small sound as if someone had been scarred, and retracted into a cube. He looked at it oddly and tapped the top of the cube. Two binocular looking eyes came out from the top as two arms came from its sides. It slowly moved around Riku on small treads. "Uh…hi," Riku said.

"Hi," said the small robot with an electronic voice.

"Hey, is there a way out of here?" Riku asked.

"Out?"

"Yes. As in out of this trash?"

The robot rolled on its treads away from Riku quickly. "Hey! Wait up!" Riku said following the small robot.

After a minute, he finally caught up with the robot that waited by a metal door. The robot banged on the door with his small fist. "Locked?" Riku asked.

The robot nodded its small head. Riku than summoned Road to Dawn, pointed at the door, and unlocked it. "Wowwwwww," the robot said.

"Thanks," Riku said walking to go out, but the small robot zoomed in front of him. "Thanks for helping me. You can do whatever you normally do," Riku said, but the robot kept following him down the small hallway.

At one point the robot held out its small arm to Riku. "WALL-E" the robot said.

"What?"

"WALL-E," the robot said pointing to itself.

"You're Wall-E?" Riku asked.

The robot nodded. "Riku."

"Ruku?"

"No, no. RIKU."

"Riku."

"Yes, Riku."

*****

Riku ran through the hall, Wall-E rolling fast on his heels. Why the robot bothered to follow him, he didn't know. But the robot could fight the heartless. Although scarred at first of them. It used a laser beam it had between it's eyes to blast at the heartless as well as taking smaller shadows into it's garbage crusher and spitting them out dazed and confused. It also once spun around with its arms out hitting some heartless. Riku figured help was better than no help.

So far he hadn't even captured a glimpse of the others, which didn't help his suspicions in the least that somehow Randall had found them. He than passed a small hallway where two Neoshadows appeared. Before Riku could raise his keyblade, Wall-E zoomed up and fired his laser at the two cutting through them and scorching the wall. Needles to say with one swipe of the keyblade, the heartless were gone. "Nice going Wall-E," Riku complemented the robot.

"Wo-ho!" the robot said.

Riku than approached the wall. "Wait a minute…"

Part of the wall had disappeared, and there were pipes behind it. Riku touched part of the wall, and it swung aside. "A secret door…" he said.

He and the robot quietly moved down through the hallway as it went into the basement of the company building. After a little bit, he heard voices and leaned up against the wall. He could than smell something in the darkness. He could recognize it as Randall. If he could use the darkness, things would get tough. He looked around the edge to see Randall, another monster in a suit, and Boo fastened into an odd chair. "I don't see how this will work Randall," the other monster said.

"Heartless strike fear into most, especially the young ones. We use them; we can scar kids even more giving us more energy. The best scarring possible," Randall said rubbing his hands as looked at Boo who gave a frightened look.

"The best scarring? Sullivan was the best scare there ever was. Ten times greater than you, and because of all this we have lost him!"

Randall gave a frustrated face as Riku could smell the darkness in him growing stronger, but he cast it aside. "With the heartless, we won't need monsters to scare the humans," he said snapping his fingers.

Than, a Brute appeared in front of Boo and roared at Boo. Boo cried out in fear as a small gauge on a machine Randall stood by went up. "Good…good," Randall said.

Riku shook his head. That was enough. He than readied Road to Dawn, and used Dark Firagra shooting down the Brute, returning it to the darkness. "What the!" Randall exclaimed.

Riku jumped out and stood between the two monsters and Boo as Boo gave a cry of happiness. "Don't get any closer," Riku warned in a threatening voice.

Randall walked up to him. "Or what, dark boy?"

Riku than used Dark Firagra at Randall, but a Dark Shield came up around Randall and the magic bounced off of him. "You see, you're not the only with darkness here," Randall said, disappearing again.

Riku jumped back avoiding an attacker that couldn't be seen, trying to find out where he went. Riku than got hit in the face by an invisible punch. He fell back against the wall and swung Road to Dawn. He apparently missed because he got punched two more times, this time in the gut. Riku than closed his eyes, letting his darkness smells lead him. He could smell Randall to his right.

Riku swung with his eyes closed focusing on his smell and swung the keyblade to his right, a cry of alarm and a body hitting a wall were the noises that told Riku he had hit dead on target. He opened his eyes again to see Randall visible rubbing his arm. Riku only than noticed the other monster scurrying off with Boo on its many legs. Randall than picked up a key card out of nowhere. "You want to get that girl home, right?" he said in a sinister voice. "You better stat complying before I destroy this then."

Before Riku could object, a red laser hit Randall's hand as he cried out in pain as the key card flew from his hand and Wall-E caught it. "Nice going!" Riku said.

Randall than jumped after the robot, only for the robot to zip backwards and for Randall is to comically land on his face. Wall-E than put the keycard in his garbage crusher and closed it making it impossible to reach the keycard. Randall was able to grab Wall-E this time, but Riku hit him hard as he could with his fist knocking him out. Wall-E than slightly hit Randall with his small robot hand. "Ha!"

Riku gave a small chuckle. "Come on. We'd better go after Boo!"

*****

Roxas, Mickey, Sully, and Mike ran through the halls out of breath. "Next time…we sled down a mountain…and run randomly through a kids room through a closet door to get back here…count me out…" Mike said between gasps of breath.

Roxas turned his head around to look at Mike and nod, but only to run into someone else causing them both to fall to the ground. Roxas turned to look to see who it was, only to realize that Boo was now in his lap! "Boo!" Sully exclaimed, a smile on his face.

"Kitty!"

Waternoose got up slightly dazed. "What! How did you get back here!?"

Mickey than threw a yellow snow cone he had gotten from the abominable snowman into Waternose's face. "Take that!"

Before Waternoose could respond, a familiar keyblade appeared from behind him and came up against the monster's neck. "I wouldn't move I were you," Riku said.

"Riku!" Mickey said.

Than a large group of CDA agents showed up out of nowhere, one of them finishing off a heartless. "You! You're under arrest!" one said to Waternoose.

"Madness!" Waternoose said.

"We've got witnesses," the agent said pointing to Roxas and Mickey.

So after long debate, arresting both Randall and Waternoose, and talking with CDA's No.1, which was secretly a worker that Mike turned paperwork into, they found themselves at Boo's door after Riku used the keycard that Wall-E had taken from Randall. The door turned on, and Boo and Sully had they're tearful goodbye. When Sully came back and closed the door, the agents took the door and shredded it. "Are you sure this is the only way?" Mickey had asked, but the CDA would not change its mind.

Mike picked up a small piece of the door that fell on the floor, a sliver, and handed it to Sully. "Thanks…" Sully said quietly.

"So, I guess that means we now look for the Royal Scroll," Roxas said.

"Where do we start?" Riku asked.

"Huh?" Wall-E asked.

"I think our friend her knows!" Mickey said.

"Wall-E, what do you know about the Royal Scroll?" Riku asked.

The robot opened a small compartment in the front of its cube body and brought out a small piece of parchment. "That's it!" Mickey said.

"Well, I guess it is a good thing Randall dumped me in the garbage pile," Riku said taking the Royal Scroll from Wall-E.

The three walked out to where they had kept the gummi ship hidden in an alley. They were getting in ready to take off, but the gummi wouldn't move. "What's wrong?" Riku asked.

"Uh-oh fellas," Mickey said. "We seem to missing a distributor cap on the gummi engine."

"Wait, you mean without it, we can't leave!?" Roxas said.

Than they all heard a small noise. Riku looked out the gummi cockpit to see Wall-E holding a small item that looked like scrap in its hand. Riku laughed. "He won't let us leave," he said.

"Wall-E. Please, we need that," Mickey said stepping outside the ship.

Wall-E zipped onto the ship and dropped to the floor with a small bang of metal on metal. "I think he won't let us leave without him," Roxas said.

Riku sighed. "Fine, you can stay."

Wall-E raised his arms up in success and handed Mickey the distributor cap. After a few minutes, they took off back into space and returned their normal selves, giving Wall-E a scare. "Well, where now?" Roxas asked.

"We're heading back to Radiant Garden," Mickey said. "I've already sent them messages to their Gummi ships to meet back at Merlin's."

* * *

Henry J. Waternoose- President of Monsters Inc. and was in with Randall, even if he didn't like the idea at first. Waternoose first appeared in Monsters Inc.

Wall-E- A trash robot that works in the basement of Monsters Inc. He helps Riku get out of the garbage dump and fight heartless, even if the little robot is odd at times. Wall-E first appeared in WALL-E.

Yeah, I added Wall-E into this, I thought it would make interesting events more interesting. And now the re-group at Radient Garden is comign up. Unfortunatlly, I don't know when that'll be up, sorry.

As for summon guessing, there are two right now for you people to guess in Reviews. One is the orange materia Sora got from Zack, and the other is one from Wall-E to Riku. It wasn't said in the story, but it is mentioned in the very begining of the one coming up. The summon charm Riku gets is a old shoe with a plant growing out of it. You can only guess once for a summon, unless not too many people read this or review X_X. Winner I will say can PM their own kind of Soulz. Alright people, review to get your own Soulz in my story!

Hopefully next chapter within a week. We'll see how less homework I have this week.

_Dezblade_


	29. 28: Two Viruses

Chapter 28: Two Viruses

All of them met back at Merlin's house and quickly told of their stories. "Being a fox though…that was really weird?" Roxas said scratching the back of his head.

"Well, so we know three of the Seekers. Luxord, Larxene, and Vexen. Plus this other you heard could be another," Axel said counting with his fingers.

"So now we have three parts of the Royal scroll," Donald said.

"Eleven more to go!" Goofy said.

"Eleven," Riku groaned fingering the summon charm Wall-E had given him. It looked like an old boot with a small green plant growing out of it.

Sora than took some soup the Merlin offered. "Thanks."

"So Merlin, did you find out anything more about where we can find more pieces to the Royal Scroll?" Namine asked.

"As a matter of fact, according to Ansem's computer, there is a part of the scroll in Radiant Garden," Merlin said.

"Where?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know. The computer hasn't been working since I found that out. We can't get it to work at all."

"Well, looks like Tron ran into some trouble," Sora said.

"But we've got worse problems."

Everyone turned to see Leon holding the door open. Cloud than walked in carrying Aerith bridal style. A white cloth was over her forehead. "What happened?" Mickey asked.

The party moved out of the way as Cloud set Aerith down on the bed, a dark blotch now visible through the cloth. "A virus…Geostigma…" Cloud said.

Leon shook his head. "It's a very nasty virus, we can't even figure out a cure for it."

"And Sephiroth is behind it," Cloud said.

"Now we don't know that for sure, but there's a possibility considering you two have run into each other before," Leon said.

"So…we're going to have to go after Sephiroth?" Donald asked.

Cloud shook his head. "He hasn't been here of late. We just have to focus on finding a cure and somehow restoring the computer system. The security system went down again and there are more heartless yet again."

"Well, me, Sora and Donald know Tron, I'm sure we could get to the bottom of this computer problem," Goofy said.

"Mind if I tag along Sora? I'm interested in Tron since we never got to meet under the circumstances," the King said.

"Sure," Sora said and started to lead the nine people out of Merlin's house. They had just begun to walk towards the castle when heartless appeared around them. "Where'd they come from?" Namine bringing out Artist's touch.

"Those would be mine girl!"

Sora turned to see a lizard with a familiar saw-staff weapon. "You!" Sora said.

"Ba'Gaman, was it not," Axel said.

"Aye, and it's time you all paid the price for walking into my land!"

"Your land? This is Radiant Garden!" Kairi said.

"Well, it'll be mine very soon. The bombs are already in place."

"Bombs?" Goofy said.

"Exactly, when the computer detonates them, Radiant Garden will become Radiant Wasteland!"

"So you're the one who wrecked the computer!" Donald yelled.

Ba'Gaman shrugged. "That's up to you to figure out. Heartless, annihilate them!"

Ba'Gaman than ran out at the nine took out their weapons. A large legion of heartless began to flock around them. "This is going to be interesting," Roxas said.

"Look, we'll have to split!" Sora said.

"Fellas!" Mickey said talking to Goofy and Donald after taking out a heartless. "We've got to go and try to fix the computer!"

"Yes your majesty!" Donald said using a Thunder spell on a Soldier Heartless.

"I'll go with you," Riku said slashing through a Neoshadow. "You'll need to save your strength before you get to Tron."

The four ran towards the castle as Sora and Kairi slashed through three heartless. Meanwhile Axel sent a wall of flames up scorching several heartless. Namine than telepathically swiped her keyblade through the heartless like a pencil, and Roxas jumped and spun crazily through heartless taking them out. After a number of minutes, the numbers of heartless were less, but several Brutes showed up. "This is crazy," Roxas said.

"Of course Roxas. Why do you think they're called heartless?" Axel joked.

Roxas gave a small smile. "Just like old times, hey Axel?"

Axel threw both his Charklams into the mass of heartless. "Burn!"

Namine brought back Artist's touch and parried a blow from a Soldier. "Sora. Kairi. You've got to go and find the bombs. The others may stop the bombs from going off, but we need to get rid of them anyway."

"But the heartless," Sora objected.

"Nothing we can't handle," Roxas said giving Sora a wink.

"Come on Sora, let's head back into the city," Kairi said running back.

Reluctantly, Sora followed her. Roxas than ran next to Namine and took out a heartless from behind her. "Thanks," the Memory Witch said.

"No problem," the Key to Destiny replied.

"Stop talking and keep fighting!" Axel said blocking the blow form a Brute's claws.

Namine nodded. "Roxas!"

"Let's do this!"

Artist's Touch whirled out of Namine's hands and struck into the ground between the two. Lines of ink shot around the ground incasing the heartless nearby into a series of shapes. Roxas than threw both of his keyblades as they twirled around in a Strike Raid, but with Namine's power the keyblades flew around in the path the ink had drawn as the keyblades continued to whirl around and finish off over twenty heartless. Oathkeeper and Oblivion flew back into Roxas' hands as Namine took Artist's touch out of the ground. "You look tired," Roxas said.

"It's hard to do something like that."

Axel than jumped between the two. "The least you two could do was learn how to do some elemental magic. All I've got is fire. We could use some other elements too."

Roxas than looked at five Brutes approaching them. "Hey Axel, you remember that old trick we used to do?"

Axel gave a smile. "Now that is what I'm talking about!"

"Axel!"

"Turn up the heat!"

The two charged together as they swung keyblades and charklams simultaneously, both of their weapons ablaze. They cut effortlessly through three brutes together, and than jumped so the remaining two stood between them. Roxas than threw Oathkeeper in a Strike Raid as Axel threw one of his charklams. The weapons crossed through the air, both still ablaze cutting at the brutes. Axel than caught Oathkeeper as Roxas caught Axel's charklam and both pounded the weapons onto the ground as pillars of flame erupted between the two vanquishing the heartless. The two than tossed their weapons back to their rightful owners. "All right, who's next?" Axel yelled, pumped.

But the heartless began to retreat. "Huh? Hey! Come back here! Where you going?!" Axel yelled after them.

Roxas ignored Axel's shouts and walked over to Namine. "You okay?" Namine asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," Roxas said.

Than out of nowhere, Roxas leaned in and gave Namine a peck on the cheek. Both stepped back in shock. "I'm sorry!" Roxas said immediately. "I didn't mean to do that! I don't know where that came from!"

Namine actually giggled as Roxas started to blush. "No, it's alright."

Axel only than turned around and noticed what had happened. But he decided not to interfere. "Come on. We'd better go after Sora and Kairi and find the bombs," Namine said walking back towards the city of Radiant Garden.

Roxas just stood there slightly dazed. Axel walked up the Roxas and hit him on the back of his head. "Idiot."

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Not kissing her on the lip genius. Roxas, I've known for a long time you liked Namine. The same thing is with Sora and Kairi. You just got to do something about it."

Roxas shook his head. "Right now isn't the best time to start a relationship Axel."

"1,000 munny."

"Huh?"

"1,000 munny you kiss her on the lips next time."

"What?!"

"You heard me," Axel said walking in the direction Namine went.

"I wouldn't do that!"

"Than the bet's on."

Roxas shook his head. "You really haven't changed, have you Axel?"

*****

Riku watched as Mickey, Donald, and Goofy became beamed into the computer system. He would have gone with, but someone had to make sure nothing interfered with the computer while they were in there. He walked around what used to be Ansem's office. Torn apart, pieces lay here and there. He looked through old papers, but nothing important, nor any sign of the Royal Scroll. "It's not here if that's what you're looking for."

Riku spun around to see Samen. "You again."

"Yes, me Riku. So, it seems everyone has done well so far," the masked Soulz said walking around Ansem's office.

"How do you know the Royal Scroll isn't in here?" Riku said.

"I looked myself. After all, I told you about the Royal Scroll, remember? I want to stop the Seekers as well. However, I have not found any more pieces. But I was able to fins out more information."

"On what?"

"There will need to be more than the five."

"Huh?"

"More than five keyblade wielders will be needed to stop whatever the Seekers plan to do at the Crossroad. Ones that walk their own paths."

"You're not making any sense. Tell me what's going on!"

Samen just walked out of Ansem's office. Riku ran after him after a hesitation. He followed him through the maze of the castle hallways and came back outside to the entrance to the castle. But Samen was no where to be seen. But something stopped Riku. He could taste something in air. A darkness. A powerful darkness. Before he knew it, everything around him went dark, and he was standing on nothing. Just darkness all around him. Than a dark portal opened up in front of him, and a figure walked out, and the portal disappeared. The strong scent of the darkness coming from this being was even stronger than Xehanort's heartless. This couldn't be good. He drew Road to Dawn and readied himself. "Who are you?"

The figure did not respond as a cloak of darkness wrapped over the person as if a living suit of darkness had embraced the being. A sword like weapon grew from the gooey looking suit as two red eyes appeared where the head was. Than Riku lost conciousness.

* * *

_Namine's Keyblade Trace_

_Axel's Weapon Trade-off  
_

Back to Radient Garden, and there's trouble already! The summon guessing is still up for game for anyone. Review to say the summon and you'll get to come up with a Soulz! And I was actually able to update this fast. Amazing. Please Review and give suggestions as always.

_Dezblade_


	30. 29: To Arms to Disarm

Chapter 29: To Arms to Disarm!

Mickey, Donald, Goofy ran through the digital program following Tron as several Heartless viruses chased after them. "We're almost there!" Tron exclaimed as they neared the entrance to a database.

Tron, Goofy, and Donald jumped in the room as Mickey locked the door behind them with the keyblade. Several heartless ran into the door as it swayed slightly, but they could not get in. Mickey sighed, a blue electronic headband nearly covering his eyes. "Welp, that should keep them out."

"So Tron, this is where the trouble started?" Donald asked.

"Yes. I was looking for special information that a User by the name of Merlin requested. As I retrieved some files about the Royal Scroll, several of the heartless programs escaped and started to create chaos. There are even some programs that have been running to set of some explosion devices."

"The bombs Ba'Gamnan talked about!" Goofy said.

"So we have to sop whatever created these viruses and stop the bombs from going off!" Donald said.

"Well, there's one problem," Mickey said.

"What would that be?" Goofy asked.

"That," Tron said looking further into the room.

Goofy and Donald turned to see what Tron and the King had seen. They both gasped. Before them was an enormous heartless program that if they were Radiant Garden, it would have been larger than the castle itself. "A Demolisher program," Tron said. "It's a duplicate though, not as strong as the original. The original was sent to the User world. If we can get past this and stop the viruses, we should stop the real on getting to your world."

"We can't lose than!" Mickey said running forward as the other three ran behind him towards the mighty foe.

*****

Cloud leaned over Aerith. She was losing consciousness. "No. Aerith, stay with me!"

"Cloud…even being…an Ancient…"

"You won't have to worry about that."

Cloud turned around to see a figure in the shadows of the corner of the room. "Who are you?!" Cloud grabbing his combination sword.

"An old friend. Cloud, we both would do anything for Aerith. I can see that you did keep your end of your bargain," the figure said.

"What are you talking about?" Cloud said.

Cloud could than see the figure reaching for a weapon, a sword. Cloud swung the combination sword quickly to parry the attack, and metal clashed with metal. But just seeing the stranger's sword made him freeze. It was the buster sword, the wrappings upon it gone. The figure stepped out of the shadows, and Cloud fell to the ground dropping his sword. "Z-Z-Zack!"

Aerith slowly turned her head to see a blurry memory. There was Zack Fair, his blue hair, the scar on his cheek, his SOLDIER 1st Class uniform, a small smile on his face. "Zack?" she asked softly.

A tear slowly came to Zack's eye. "Aerith…all those years I never came back…I'm sorry. I wish that had never happened. But I can't change what happened. And now, you are in turmoil. I will right the wrongs, I'll make you better, I swear. Consider it the last act I can do for you."

With that Zack walked out of Merlin's house, Cloud running after him seconds later.

*****

The teenager walked down the street, loud music blaring from his stereo headphones. He banged his head to the beat drowning out all the extra outside noise as he walked down an ally. In the dark ally, his orange spiked hair stood out from the brown walls. He looked around making sure he hadn't walked into a dead end. But what he saw and made him stop and pause his music. He could see a circular object stuck to the wall of a building, red numbers counting down as a red light blinked ever second. The teen's eyes widened when he realized that it was a bomb. And there was less than two seconds left on it. He ran out of the alley as fast as he could before it could go off. But before he could go far, he ran into someone. They both fell to the ground.

*****

Sora and Kairi ran through the streets of Radiant Garden. So far they had been able to disarm three bombs by locking them with their keyblades. They had also run into Leon and Yuffie who had discovered two bombs themselves. "By the looks of it, there are five more," Leon had told them taking their bombs. "We'll through these five in the ravine while you get the others. They may be disarmed, but we still have to be carefull."

Sora and Kairi ran down the street trying to find those bombs as quickly as possible. Within a few minutes, they each found one more, leaving only three left. Sora carried the two bombs, the timers on them frozen, one at 2:30 and the other at 2:01. "We've got to find the other ones-OOF!"

Sora didn't get to finish talking to Kairi because someone had run into him causing them to both to fall to the ground. The bombs flew up in the air, but Kairi quickly caught it. Sora than looked at the teenager who had knocked him down who had quickly gotten to his feet shaking the cobwebs out of his head. "You better watch where you're running," Sora said.

"You'd run too if there's a bomb!" the orange haired teen said pointing towards the alley he had run out of.

Sora ran towards the ally and saw the bomb sitting on the wall. He quickly took out the Kingdom Key and locked the bomb, making the timer stop at 1: 39. "Two more to go," Sora said.

"Make that one."

Sora looked up to see a young man with the Buster Sword on his back. Zack tossed a bomb at Sora, who froze the timer on it. "How'd you get here Zack?" Sora asked.

"Long story Sora, and I don't have time. The last bomb if I'm right is being kept outside the city near the ravine. Putting the other bombs with it will only increase the explosion."

Sora gasped. Ba'Gamnan expected the Restoration Committee to put the bombs in the ravine, and would still kill them. "How do we stop this?"

"Try to stop your friends from disposing the bombs. I have other business to attend to."

With that, Zack ran off on the roof top towards the edge of the city. Sora ran out and rejoined Kairi and the teen. "We better hurry," Kairi said.

"Run!" Sora said in a hurried tone and the two ran off.

The teenager just stood their confused. After debating with himself for a few seconds, he ran after the two. "Hey! Wait!"

*****

"So this is one of the bombs they were talking about," Roxas holding the device in his hands.

He, Namine, and Axel had found a bomb near the ravine and Namine was able to disable it with her time magic. "Must be," Axel said. "Red numbers counting down, blinking lights. Yeah, traditional bomb material right there."

"So now what?" Namine asked.

Before anyone could say anything more, Sora and Kairi ran up, bombs in their hands. "Guys! Where'd you get that?" Sora asked.

"By the ravine," said his nobody's soulz.

Sora and Kairi sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. That's the last one," Kairi said.

"Another crisis avoided, huh?" Namine said.

"Not so fast you humans!"

The five turned to see Ba'Gamnan standing yards away, a small device in his reptile hands. "I see were able to stop all the bombs, but you've made things just easier for me!"

He flipped a switch on the small control panel and all the bombs lights turned from red to yellow. "Huh?" Sora said.

He could than see the timer had changed to form a word: ARMED. "Oh crap," Axel said.

Ba'Gamnan laughed. "That's right. One more switch, and I'll be done with you keyblade snots! And since that Restoration bunch has the rest, I'm a killin' two birds with one stone, or bomb should I say?" He laughed again.

Before anyone could act, a silver swipe of energy flung through the air and knocked Ba'Gamnan over sending the device into the air. The creature cried out in alarm but someone zoomed over him at caught the device and landed with his feet on the ground. "Things just got worse," Roxas murmured.

Sephiroth stood there holding the device. "A device to explode these you say? Unfortunately, I would agree with you on such matters, but these people are of importance to me."

"What have we got to do with you?" Axel asked.

"You have parts of the Royal Scroll. I know so. Give them to me," said the One Winged Angel.

"What do you want with that?" Sora asked.

"With the Royal Scroll, I can finally bring back Mother to her original self. And together, the cosmos shall be ours!"

"Who wants to bet his ma's a hag?" Axel whispered to the group.

Sephiroth swung his katana at them, and they all moved out of the way. "You are disrespectful. I shall have to end you now instead."

But than, a yellow swipe of energy slashed at Sephiroth, who quickly brought up both hands to hold Masamune in a defensive position. Than the bomb device flew through the air once again, only to be caught by the teenager than Sora and Kairi had run into. "You are a fool," Sephiroth said raising Masamune and bringing it down.

Before it could reach the teen, however, it met another sword. The Buster Sword. Zack stood in front of the teen, blocking the attack that would have been lethal. "Been a while, huh Sephiroth."

Sephiroth's eyes widened for a second, but returned to their original cat-pupil looking appearance. "You…you died a long time ago."

"I thought you did too."

Sephiroth coldly smiled, which gave Sora chills down his back. "I escaped, but right now isn't the time to catch up on how you lived. Right now, we shall settle it so it everything ends the way it was supposed to be."

Zack shook his head. "You aren't the Sephiroth I once knew. The Sephiroth I knew fought evil, my inspiration. You…you are evil!"

The two slashed at each other, metal hitting metal at what seemed inhuman speed as they approached each other. The jumped above and continued their fight as they crossed the barren wilderness beyond Radiant Garden.

Sora walked over to the teen. "Are you crazy! You could've just got killed there!"

"Look who was in danger here about to be exploded by two freaks!" the teen yelled back at Sora.

Kairi stood between the two. "Look, can you two calm down. Look, we saved each others backs, Sora stopping the bomb, and for you getting the device. Can you please not yell at each other?"

"That's enough!" Ba'Gamnan yelled standing up, his Ba'Gamnansaw in his hands.

He snapped his bagnaa fingers as Defender and Wyvern heartless appeared around the group. The four keybalders readied their weapons as Axel threw up his weapons in the air and catching them. "Hey kid, you better get out of here. Things are gonna get ugly."

The teen instead stood his ground and put his hands into fists. "The name's Neku, not kid. I can fight just good as the rest of you!"

* * *

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Sorry about not updating, at this rate I'd say only expect two per week, and they may be short chapters. Sorry guys.

Alright, summon game. Here are the two summons:

**Orange Materia:** Given to Sora by Zack. It a summon from FFVII: CRISIS CORE and one that is featured throughout all Final Fnatasy games. It is a dragon.

**Plant Summon:** A plant growing out of a old boot. Given to Riku by WALL-E. It is a friend of WALL-E's a more advanced robot, that is also a she.

Guess the summons, and you get to come up with a soulz for the story! Please put your answers in reviews!

_Dezblade_


	31. 30: The Liquid Being

Before this chapter starts, a few notices:

1. Congrats to TLSouldude for getting the Plant Summon right. It is EVA. Thanks for the soulz character.

2. The summon name for Orange Materia is up for grabs. Review to guess the name!

3. Throughout the story I'm going to have **Neku's Playlist.** This is to provide music that fits in with what is happening, or just for fight background music. I started with somthing from _The World Ends With You_ just to get things going. Requests for songs are open. Put in a song title and artist in a review if you're interested in adding a song to the playlist.

And now to the story!

* * *

Chapter 30: The Liquid Being

Riku opened his eyes to see he was still standing outside the castle in Radiant Garden, the liquid shadow being standing there, its red eyes staring at Riku, a black sword growing from its left arm. Riku than heard a voice. He could tell it was the creature, but it spoke to him in thoughts. It didn't sound human, but seemed slightly female, it was hard to tell.

Intriguing…you are very resistant to the darkness. Yet we can sense the darkness coming from you.

"You can't make me do your will through darkness," Riku said reading Road to Dawn. "My darkness is my own."

The figure walked closer to Riku. _The darkness is like a wild creature. You can make it your own, but it is still connected to the massive darkness throughout the worlds. We will find a way to break you. We shall break you and take your power._

The figure swung its black blade and Riku sidestepped out of the way. He swung Road to Dawn at it as it brought the black blade in defense blocking the attack. They both swung their blades at each other, as if the swords were dancing in a frenzy. Riku slashed down to the left, right, uppercut, and a vertical bash, but all were blocked with ease to the liquid being. The being slashed at an inhuman speed as Riku dodged most of the slashes, but one produced a flesh wound on his right arm. He jumped back far away causing the being to miss a fatal swipe and landed ten feet away. He than fired a Dark Firagra at the being. The fire hit the being, but it stood still and absorbed the darkness. _You hit a supreme being of darkness with darkness? You are a foolish one. Now, behold the wrath of Shade!_

The liquid being aimed the black blade at Riku, and a dark tentacle whipped out and wrapped around Road to Dawn, as Riku felt energy being drained from him. Riku scowled as he tried to rid of the tentacle on his keyblade, and it eventually swung back to its master disappearing. _I have now taken your strength. You can never achieve to defeat me now._

Riku gave stared at the figure. "There's a strength you've forgotten about. And that's the strength of friends!" he said taking the boot summon charm from his pocket. "EVA!"

A small rocket crashed next to Riku as a white, oval shaped robot with a black monitor with blue eyes floated out. Two arms came out from it's sides, its right arm quickly changing into a laser gun. "Fight!" the robot said in a female voice.

Riku and EVA jumped above the figure as EVA shot lasers and Riku slashed in unison with the shots. The being was able to block Riku's swipes, but the laser shots were taking a toll on it. EVA than flew extremely fast past the being, knocking it into a spin as Riku slashed at the being with a cry. He managed to send a great slash through the thing's back. EVA than floated next to Riku and they pointed their weapons in the same direction. "Synthesize!" they both yelled, Riku using Dark Firagra, EVA using a powerful laser missile. The two combined in midair as EVA flew back and Riku jumped back as the fire laser missile hit the being head on. An enormous explosion of blue fire blasted in a hemisphere shape swallowing up the being and shook the entire area. "Good-bye!" EVA giggled as she went back into her little rocket, and it lifted off returning her to her own world.

Riku watched as the blue flames died down, the being still standing in the same exact place before the explosion happened. The black blade, however, now lay in pieces in the ground in front of it. The red eyes of the being seemed to glow even brighter as the liquid began to slowly become a shade of gray. _Such power…perhaps you are a more formable foe than I had believed. But make no mistake, this is not the end._

The liquid being than began to sink into the ground as the liquid formed into a dark liquid puddle on the burnt ground. Slowly, the liquid began to dissolve till the liquid was gone. But where is once was, now laid a piece of parchment. "Part of the Royal Scroll?" Riku said picking it up.

He than heard footsteps racing behind and he turned to see King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy run up to him. "Riku! Why did you run off? I thought you were gonna stand guard," Goofy said.

Riku than explained running into Samen, and then the encounter with the liquid being. "Welp, things just keep getting stranger and stranger," Mickey said.

"How'd the computer go?" Riku asked.

"Well, we had to fight this heartless copy program with Tron, which was almost impossible. By the time he defeated it and stopped the program on the bombs, it was to late," Donald said.

"Too late? For what?"

"Riku," Mickey said. "The copy program we fought was a copy of a real heartless that is much stronger that was being released by the viruses. We couldn't stop it from escaping, and now it's on some other world."

"We better find Sora and the others than," Riku said.

The four ran from the castle in search of their friends. From the top of a canyon, a mysterious being watched from above, liquid darkness melting from their head.

*****

**Neku's Playlist: Hybrid by Takeharu Ishimoto from The World Ends With you Soundtrack**

"How many heartless does this guy have?" Axel setting another Brute on fire as it rushed around, only causing other heartless to catch fire.

"He's trying to wear us out before we can reach him," Roxas said.

"Any plans?" Namine asked.

Sora watched as Neku used another psych power sending a tower of ice to come from the ground knocking back a group of heartless. The teenage stranger could fight really well, even if he was listening to music while he did. Sora than slashed across a Wyvren in midair. "We gotta attack Ba'Gamnan. That way he won't be able to call for more heartless!" Sora shouted over the noise of Heartless advancing towards them.

"Well, we need a clear path to get to them!" Roxas said smashing a Defender in the back causing it to stumble forward.

Sora looked around quickly. They might just have a chance. Kairi and Neku were the closest to the bounty hunter, so they had the best chance of getting to him. "Roxas, we have to clear a path for Kairi for Neku!"

"You think they can handle him?" Roxas said.

"What, you don't trust yourself?" Sora said joking.

"Meh," Roxas said sarcastically. "Why is it I always convince myself."

"Roxas!"

"To the end!"

Both Sora and Roxas became outlined in an orange light as they floated inches above the ground. They began to glide around the air swirling around the heartless flipping in midair swinging their keyblades extremely fast. Sora than swung the Kingdom Key as if he were to perform a strike raid, only for and orange light to surround the keyblade and for an orange twister to form around the keyblade as it picked up heartless into the air. Roxas than flew through the air slashing through each one, defeating them all. They both landed to the ground as the orange light around them faded away, ending the limit.

With heartless near her, Kairi ran with ease towards the Ba'Gamnan, Neku quickly following suit. "You ready?" Kairi asked.

"You bet!" Neku quickly flashing thumbs up.

Just than, fifteen Defenders surrounded the two, their monstrous shields surrounding them making it impossible to hurt them or to escape. Two quickly moved out of the way for Ba'Gamnan to enter the circle, and closed up behind him. "So, you young humes think you can fight me? A foolish mistake. Unfortunately I can only kill one of you."

"What?" Kairi said.

"Maleficent needs you, Princess of Heart. The other I could care less of, but just because I can't kill you," Ba'Gamnan said revving up his Ba'Gamnansaw, "doesn't mean I can't have a little fun first."

Neku and Kairi prepared themselves in fighting stances.

* * *

EVA- A robot built to find sources of life. She met Wall-E and helped Riku with her laser blasting skills. EVA first appeared in WALL-E.

_EVA's Synthsis Blast_

Shade- (OC) A being of darkness that attacks Riku. Can absorb darkness, use the darkness, and uses a strange black blade

Short chapter, but more to come soon.

_Dezblade_


	32. 31: Bounty Hunter

Chapter 31: Bounty Hunter

"Uh-oh," Axel said.

Sora saw what Axel was talking about. A monstrosity of Defenders had circles around Kairi, Neku, and Ba'Gamnan. An even larger of circle of Brutes surrounding the defenders blocking attacks to the defenders weak backs. Roxas shook his head. "I thought this guy was stupid, but apparently he's better than I thought," The Key to Destiny said slicing through a Neoshadow.

"If Kairi uses that power…she should be fine," Namine said engraving a symbol in the ground.

She than slammed Artist's touch on the symbol causing the ground to shoot lightning bolts sending bolts of electricity through heartless. "What power?" Sora asked.

"She's a Princess of Heart. She can use a power for a short while. I'm able to use a similar version because I'm her nobody's soul. That's what you saw me do back at Olympus Coliseum Sora," Namine said.

Sora nodded. "Still, we have to stop these heartless as fast as possible to help them."

"And you have an idea smart guy?" Axel said.

Sora watched as heartless began to surround the four. Sora than remembered something, but he questioned for a second, but went with it. He placed his hand on Axel's shoulder. "Huh?" said Axel.

"DRIVE!"

There was a quick flash of light. When it went away, Axel was gone and Sora stood in a new drive. His clothes seemed to reach longer to the ground like Axel's cloak and had red, orange, and black designs sprawling across it. Sora's hair also had lengthened in spikes; one spike sticking back was red. He also held the Bond of Flame keyblade in his hand. "I believe this is Incendia Form," Jiminy said from Sora's pocket. (1)

Sora gave a grin as he jumped into the mass of heartless that had approached him, Roxas and Namine. With keyblade lit ablaze, Sora swung fast through the heartless as if he were dancing like a madman. Each step he took resulted in a small path of fire behind him. He than threw Bond of Flame in a Fire Raid (Fire Strike Raid, it's in Chain of Memories) and the keyblade ricochet through the heartless and zoomed back to Sora as he caught it effortlessly. He than saw a different type of heartless approach him. It looked like a medieval knight that was covered in a silver and black armor. One arm ended in a blade, the other in an axe. They stood about four feet tall and about ten of them were running towards Sora.

Sora grinned, mainly Axel the being smiling inside of Sora. "This'll be fun," said Sora, but Axel's older voice could slightly be heard as well.

One Guard Heartless ran up to Sora, and swung its ax towards the keyblader. Sora simply ran to the side and slashed across its armor body, sending it flying. He than blocked the blow from another Guard's sword, and kicked it down colliding with another Heartless as they clumsily fell to the ground. Sora than stuck Bond of Flame into the ground, and began to run in a large circle, the keyblade tearing up the rocky ground beneath. A trail of fire rose behind the keyblade till the point the ten Guard heartless were surrounded by a small ring of fire. From outside, Sora than flung the keyblade like a javelin and it struck in the center of the circle, and the flames immediately disappeared. Sora than snapped his fingers. "Goodbye."

A pillar of flame exploded within the carved out circle incinerating the Guards. In a quick flash of light, Sora and Axel returned to their normal selves. Both breathed heavily, both tired slightly from the drive. "Well…that was interesting," Axel said.

Roxas than ran over. "Come on! The heartless are getting closer to Kairi and Neku!"

*****

**Neku's Playlist: Down by Stone Temple Pilots**

Kairi ran forward swung Blossoming Heart towards Ba'Gamnan, but the bagnaa blocked it with the staff of his weapon and pushed Kairi back. He than swung it low towards Neku, who jumped over and fired an energy blast at the bounty hunter. Ba'Gamnan stumbled back, but quickly ran forward swinging his Ba'Gamnansaw downwards. Neku closed his eyes not wanting to see it hit him, but nothing happened. He than opened his eyes to see the hoop of the saw around him, completely unharmed. He gave a small laugh. "My lucky day."

Neku than zoomed forward at an inhuman speed into Ba'Gamnan knocking the bagnaa over to the ground and dropping his weapon. The bounty hunted quickly rolled over, whacking Kairi with his tail to her feet when she tried to attack him. He than quickly picked up his Ba'Gamnansaw and moved forward, only to jump back as Neku moved his hand, a small trail of fire following his hand. The bagnaa jumped over fire snarling and knocked Neku down with the staff part of his weapon. Neku fell down, holding his head in pain. "Why is it always the head?" he murmured to himself.

Ba'Gamnan raised his weapon again, but Kairi came in front of Neku and held back the deadly weapon with her keyblade. "Nice try you lizard," Kairi said pushing back.

The bounty hunter than swung his Ba'Gamnansaw at Kairi, who blocked this attack as well. Kairi than swung back in an uppercut hitting Ba'Gamnan's hand. He gave out a small cry, but than banged the ground several times with his weapon causing the ground to shake in Quake magic. Kairi fell due to the tremors as Ba'Gamnan jumped in the air high above swinging his deadly weapon downwards. Kairi rolled out of the way, the rotating saw blade missing her by inches. Kairi than swung her keyblade over Ba'Gamnan's weapon keeping the weapon down on the ground. However, his strength prevailed as he swung his weapon up pushed Kairi backwards. Before either one could react, Neku came back in and with his fist glowing yellow, he punched the lizard in an uppercut that sent Ba'Gamnan flying a foot in the air before coming back to the ground on his back. Neku than held his hand now glowing purple over the bagnaa's neck. "Go ahead, make my day," Neku said a deeper voice. (2)

The lizard's growled, and swung his tail again knocking Neku to the ground as well. "No one tells me what to do boy!" the bounty hunter said raising his Ba'Gamnansaw above his head.

"AURURA!"

A blast of light hit Ba'Gamnan on his arms and face as he soared over the circle of Defenders crying out. He than stood back up and ran in a retreat. "Next time you humes won't fair so well! Heartless! Kill them!"

The Defenders came in closer around Neku and Kairi. "Not good, we can't get past these shields," Kairi said.

"Than we have one choice," Neku said. "Hold on!"

Neku then grabbed Kairi around the waist and jumped high into the air similar to when he had zoomed into the bounty hunter. The two flew above the Defenders as they ran towards the middle trying to hit the teenagers only to collide with each other and fall back confused. Than one disappeared in a blast of dark flames. Kairi and Neku landed as another one was struck from a bolt of lightning. The two turned around to see Riku, the King, Donald, and Goofy attack the Defenders. Sora, Roxas, Namine, and Axel were coming from the other side as they began to sweep through a group of Brutes. "Well, looks like all we have to do is take out the heartless," Neku said.

"You're a better fighter than you look," Kairi commented.

"Yeah, I got it from dying."

"What!?"

Neku shook his head. "Really long story and right now isn't the best time to sit down and chit chat."

A group of Guards and three Brutes advanced towards them. _Want to use a limit?_

Kairi looked at Neku, but she knew she had heard his voice in his head. "How can you-"

_Part of the long story. Communicating in silence will keep the heartless from getting ideas, _Neku said telepathically.

Kairi nodded. "Neku!"

"Bring it on!"

Neku and Kairi teleported into the air above the heartless, both of them zipping past the heartless. They zoomed back and forth zigzagging through the heartless knocking them off of their feet. The two than teleported back to solid ground, Kairi striking the ground with Blossoming Heart, Neku stomping the ground with his right foot. A small tremor shook the ground as the heartless were defeated, a group as small hearts rising into the sky.

Meanwhile Riku and Mickey looked around and realize they needed to get rid of these heartless quickly. "Riku!"

"Is that all you got?"

They stood back to back, Riku firing Dark Firagra, Mickey blasting Pearl. The two blasts of energy soared into the air above them creating a large green ball of Plasma. Riku then grabbed the King by his hand. "Bring it down!"

He flung Mickey into a summersault in the air as Mickey soared above the ball of plasma, swinging his royal keyblade striking the plasma towards the ground hitting the heartless. Mickey than fell back to the ground, giving Riku a high five on the way down. "That should do the trick," said the King.

Axel and Namine then found themselves surrounded by Wyverns. Quickly Namine turned to Axel becoming tired. "Hey Axel, are you up for a little something?" Namine asked.

"Never ask a question during a battle Namine!" Axel yelled while throwing one of his charklams at one of the heartless. "Just do whatever needs to be done! Got it memorized?"

"But you just asked a question."

Axel hesitated for a second. "Touché."

"Axel!"

"Time to heat things up!"

Namine then threw the keyblade up in the air as Axel created a fire wall separating them from the heartless. Artist's touch than swung back down to Namine, a white glow coming from it. She and axel than jumped through the wall of fire wall, keyblade first. The fire than wrapped around them as they became a living comet streaming through the heartless. They repeated the same routine, except going in another direction, and then another. They then jumped into a crowd of heartless. "Let's finish this!" Namine said.

"You got that!" Axel said as they threw their weapons in the air.

Than a brief show of comets blazed around them crashing into the heartless. Their weapons came back flying down as they both caught them. Axel gave a whoop. "You know what we call that? We call that fire burning, ass kicking!"

The group rejoined when they finished off the last remaining heartless. "What happened to you Riku. You look worried about something," Roxas said.

"I ran into some weird…thing. Some being of darkness or something. I really don't like the looks of it," Riku said, but then stopped himself before he could say anything more. "Hey, where's Sora?"

Everyone looked around. "There is he is!" Kairi said.

At least a mile away they could see a teenager with brown spiky hair running further into the gorge outside Radiant Garden. "Where's he going?" Goofy said.

"We'd better follow," Namine said, and the group ran after the Keyblade master.

* * *

**Axel's Incendia Form**- Sora driving with Axel. Fire abilites greatly expanded. Bond of Flame Keyblade

(1) Incendia is latin for fire

(2) Clint Eastwood refrence

_Neku's Air Raid_

_Riku's Plasma Strike  
_

_Axel's Comnet_

Sorry this took so long. I had lots of computer problems. Next chapter will be the last in the re-visit. It will be dramatic, so it might take me a few days considering all the stuff i have going on. I orginally wanted to make what happens next and this into one chapter, but with so much going on i wanted to get this part up. I hope to get more within three days.

And I still need someone to name the next summon. Very soon so i can use it in the story. Orange materia, common final fantasy summon, starts with a "B". SOmebody please say the name in a review!!!

thanks for reading,

Dezblade


	33. 32: End of Crisis?

Chapter 32: End of Crisis?

Sora had run away from the heartless after seeing Zack. Zack had been near the edge of a cliff fighting Sephiroth still from earlier. After seeing that the rest of the group was okay, he ran after Zack and Sephiroth. He breathed heavily as his feet padded against the rocky ground. He could hear the sword clashes growing louder as he climbed up a narrow path. He only realized that what had started out as a slope now became a small mountain. He soon reached the top, and saw Zack and Sephiroth locked in combat. Both moved quick with their blades, each one defecting each other's blades. But Sephiroth used one swing, and brought Zack down on his back. "You have not changed Zack. You still cannot defeat me."

"You were long ago defeated Sephiroth. The day you died you became a monster, even growing your wings yourself just like Genesis. You've fallen further than he has."

"And now, we end this," Sephiroth said bringing up his weapon in a lethal blow, no way for Zack to block the attack.

Sora then jumped between the two and held back the attack with his keyblade. "You again. You always seem to meddle with my affairs. This time you shall die as well," Sephiroth said.

Before he could attack Sora, he had to block a blow from Zack. "Not on my watch!" Zack said. **Neku's Playlist: Vengeance on the World by Takeharu Ishimoto from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack**

"Pitiful. Both of your deaths will make the other deaths easier for me to create."

The One Winged Angel rushed at them swiping Masamune through the air, Sora and Zack blocking it with both of their weapons. Sora than somersaulted underneath Sephirtoh's weapon swinging the Kingdom Key at Sephiroth, the blow hardly causing anything to the powerful enemy. Zack quickly put the Buster sword on his back, a glowing orange energy around him. "I got it!" he yelled as he ran forward.

He then ran past Masamune and punched Sephiroth in the jaw three times, kicking him twice. He then zoomed around, repeating the same maneuver twice. After the third time, he somersaulted like Sora leaving an explosion behind him and got back to his feet next to Sora, retrieving the Buster Sword off of his back. But then he fell to the ground weak. "Sin Harvest!" Sephiroth said calmly floating in midair as he began to take the life out of Zack, before a keyblade wacked Sephirtoh's arm.

Sora slashed several times at Sephiroth sending him back in the air, and aimed his keyblade in midair. "Hope I can still do this," Sora said out loud. "Ragnorak!"

An orb of energy appeared at the tip of the Kingdom key and started to grow with power. Sora then released the power and several streams of magic swirled through the air till each one of them hit Sephiroth.

Sora then landed next to Zack as Sephiroth readied his weapon again. "You seem to have grown stronger, one with the keyblade. You may just be stronger than I believed. Now, show me your strength before you perish."

"Not today Sephiroth!"

The three turned around to see Cloud now with them, his Combination Sword split into two separate blades. "You aren't doing anything until you rid Aerith of the Geostigma!"

"She isn't the only one, Cloud. Soon everyone with Geostigma will gather, and Mother can return to finish her quest."

"NO!" Cloud said rushing forward swiping his two blades.

Sephiroth blocked the move and pushed Cloud back. Sora quickly than used Curagra, healing the three of them. Sora looked at Zack. "Zack!"

"For Honor!"

Both disappeared to reappear on either side of Sephiroth. Zack than slashed one direction as Sora did the opposite direction till the sliced eight times each. They both then jumped, clinging weapons in the air for a second, and both slamming their weapons into Sephiroth. However, the One Winged Angel swept Masamune and a stream of silver energy cut through the air sending both Sora and Zack back. Cloud than jumped in throwing attacks at Sephiroth with all of his skill, but Sephiroth lazily blocked every single move. Sephiroth than simply shoved Cloud back till he nearly fell off the edge of the rock. "I've had enough of you. Prepare to witness my true power!"

Sephiroth ascended into the sky as it grew dark, the sun fading out, but another one lighting up above Sephiroth. The new light high above Sephiroth began to grow brighter and brighter until Sora realized that it was no sun. It was a flaming Meteor. "No…" Cloud gasped. "Not…again…"

Then Zack got up to his feet, holding the Buster Sword in front of his face. "Remember what I told both of you," he said.

"Zack," Sora started.

"I came to fix things, and this looks like the only way," Zack said.

With an unknown ability, Zack jumped high into the air, heading straight towards Sephiroth and the Meteor hurling towards Radiant Garden. Sephiroth realized to late as Zack slammed into him in midair and they both flew towards the meteor. They both slammed into the surface of it, and Sephiroth looked down to see the Buster Sword sticking horizontally through his chest, the tip inside Meteor. "Embrace…your dreams…" Zack said as they began to flooded in a light. "And protect your honor, as SOLDIER!"

The Meteor exploded from within the sky, rock pelting in several directions as the fragments began to shower upon Radiant Garden. From far away, it looked if there had been a bomb set off in the middle of the sky. Everyone in Radiant Garden started at the sky in horror, except for one. Aerith lay on the bed, sweat over her eyebrows. She didn't need to look outside to see what had happened. She had felt it happen through the life stream. She could sense Zack moving onto the next life, this time in peace.

*****

The group slowly reached the top of the mountain where they saw Sora and Cloud still sitting from when Zack left. The Buster Sword lay on the ground. Riku tried to say something, but Kairi touched his arm, and Riku closed his mouth. Cloud than slowly got to his feet. He started to walk away, but he stopped by Sora. "Cloud…you knew him, didn't you?" Sora asked.

"I was supposed to live for the both of us…some promise that was."

Cloud then picked up the Buster Sword, looked at it, and then carried with him off of the mountain. Sora slowly got to his feet. "So…he's gone?" Sora said.

"With that show? I don't think anything could have survived that," Axel said.

"Come on, let's get down from here," Kairi said walking over to Sora.

Sora grabbed the hand Kairi offered and got up to his feet. The group than made their way to the bottom, returning into the city of Radiant Garden. Within a few steps, they found Leon. "I suppose you had to do something with the blast?"

"Well, I didn't have a blast doing it," Sora said leaning up against a building.

"Well, because of that, Cloud's gone; along with Tifa and Yuffie. Something about things to attend to. And I give you rooms for the night, but that fiasco created by Ba'Gaman has filled all of our placed full of injured from the heartless."

"Well, you could stay at my place," Neku said. "Parents are gone, and we kinda saved each others lives back there. It's the least I could do."

"That would be greatly appreciated," the King said. "May I just ask who are gracious host is?"

"Name's Neku Sakuraba. I've been living here for about three weeks now."

"Well, perhaps if we get to your place we can get to know each other better, right?" Goofy said.

"As long as he's got food I'm up for it," Roxas said.

"Oh crud, food. You guys would probably eat everything in sight at home."

"We can pay you of course for what makes up for the food," Namine said.

"Sure. Come on, I don't live far from here."

*****

Vexen shook his head. "Things are getting mighty interesting with the keyblade wielders. Now this boy has joined them."

"What, little orange haired, music punk," Larxene said nonchalantly. "He's nothing."

"I'm not willing to take the bet," Luxord said. "This fellow has more tricks up his sleeve than he's showing psych magic is a rare gift, and he can use it wisely."

"Surprisingly you all seem somewhat afraid of their number, however."

The three Seekers turned to see a figure in a violet organization cloak, the hood still up keeping his face hidden. "Afraid you hypothesize," Vexen said, "I am just slightly concerned. Perhaps we should think more in the long term."

"Hm. Fair enough. However, I have already been given orders to 'Inspect' them."

"A mission for yourself?" Luxord said. "That's unwise if you ask me. You've never been on field missions before."

A small laugh came from the unknown Seeker. "There is always a first time."

He instantly vanished, like a wisp of smoke leaving the once members of the Organization to ponder what their leader could possibly be planning be sending the other.

* * *

_Zack's Double Octaslash_

Sephiroth, gone? A new Seeker? What is this Liquid being that called itself Shade? More to come soon.

Sorry about not updating, computer problems, bleh. Also a concept idea of what Shade looks like on my DA page.

I will also soon go back and edit all of my past chapters, so it wouldn't hurt to do a read through when I'm done editing.

SOMEONE PLEASE name the final fantasy summon that starts with the letter "B". Come on, you get to create a Seeker.

_Dezblade_


	34. 33: Discoveries in Twilight

Chapter 33: Discoveries in Twilight

Sora slept in his dreams, but they were interrupted by something poking his shoulder. "Sora! Wake up!"

"I don't wana go to school ma," he murmured in his sleep.

"Sora!"

"Five more minutes," Sora yawned. (1)

Sora finally opened his eyes slightly to see Jiminy jumping up and down. "Sora! Everyone else already left!"

Sora was awake now. "WHAT!"

Quickly Sora got to his feet as Jiminy jumped into his pocket. "They were heading for Merlin's."

Sora quickly ran from Neku's house to Merlin's to see everyone crowded around Cid and Merlin at the computer. "About time you got up," Axel said.

"What's going on?" Sora asked.

Mickey than explained about the heartless program that had been released in the chaos of yesterday and how it had escaped beyond Radiant Garden. "And thanks to Tron and Merlin here, we finally tracked the dang thing!" Cid said.

"So where is it Gramps?"

Cid shook a fist at the teenager. "Stop calling me Gramps!"

"Apparently it has gone to a word known as Twilight Town," Merlin said. "Sora, have you been to this world?"

"Have I been there!? Come on! We gotta get going on the double!"

The group ran outside where the three Gummi ships sat after Cid had made minor adjustments to them. Sora was about to lift off when Neku approached the ship. "I'm coming with you!"

"No Neku, you gotta stay here. It's too dangerous," Sora said over a PA system in the Gummi.

"Dangerous? I'm older than you!"

Without another word, the ship with Sora, Namine, and Goofy took off. Neku looked around quickly and then dove into the ship that Kairi, Axel, and Donald were in. They didn't notice him sneak on because Axel and Donald were arguing, again. But Kairi thought she had heard something. Ignoring, she started the engine and the ship lifted off following behind Sora's.

The ship with Riku, The King, and Roxas began to lift off, but not before a shadowed being grabbed onto the hull of the deck as it slipped soundlessly into the ship.

*****

The group stood in Twilight Town at the train station. "So we've got to look for this heartless thing. Your majesty, can you describe it to us?" Kairi asked.

"Welp, it's pretty much a stronger Darkside. It's as tall as the buildings here, so it causes a lot of trouble. So it probably hasn't showed itself yet otherwise we would already see it."

"So take it out before it causes any damage," Namine said.

"We should check in with the gang, they might know something," Sora said.

"Or split up, it would be easier to find it than," Roxas said.

With some discussion, the heroes split in two groups. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Kairi went to look for the Hayner, Pence, and Olette while Roxas, Namine, Axel, and Riku headed off towards the mansion outside the town.

They went separate ways and walked through the town keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Seconds later, Neku snuck out of the Gummi ship and looked around. He put his hands to his head and closed his eyes as he could hear voices. The voices of the thoughts of the citizens of Twilight Town. At first it sounded like chaos. But after a few seconds, he began to sort out voices from the citizens and could hear where his recent friends where, and which directions they going. But then he heard one voice that made him stop.

_That thing was huge!_

_Heading off into the ocean, ya'know._

_Not good._

_Well, no one's uses those train tracks anymore, so it's not like anyone's gonna get hurt._

_So we keep quiet?_

_No one would believe us._

Neku then blocked the thoughts turning up his music. Apparently someone had already seen this heartless and were not going to talk about it. Only Neku knew the thing had gone into the ocean. "But why the ocean? I doubt it went for a swim," Neku said to himself as he walked into the town.

*****

Roxas, Namine, Axel, and Riku stood at the gates of the mansion. "Didn't think I'd be coming back here," Riku said.

"Well, this the only place I could go and not…face the gang," Roxas said.

"Those three kids?" Axel said.

It than hit Riku. "They're your friends to you, but that was only in the simulation that Ansem made."

Roxas nodded and walked into the mansion, the rest following him. Roxas ignored everything he saw and headed upstairs into the room like no other in the mansion. He stepped into the White Room and looked around. Namine's drawings were still there. Hung on the walls, scattered over the floor and the table. He sat at the table and closed his eyes. "It's a lot to think about."

Roxas opened his eyes to see Namine sitting at the opposite end of the table as she picked up her old sketch pad, a group of colored pencils next to it. "The memories…they all collide with each other," Roxas said.

Namine nodded her head. "It's my fault. Moving Sora's memories around so much affected yours slightly."

Roxas looked around the room. "But, it's what he asked for, right?"

Namine nodded, and started to draw. "And there is no way to retrieve those memories that happened in Castle Oblivion. That is just how the magic works," the memory witch said as she continued to draw.

Roxas got up and looked closer at the pictures. "I…uh…Namine?"

"Hm?"

"It's odd."

Namine looked up at Roxas who now looked out the bay window. "No longer being a Nobody, but a Soulz," Roxas continued. "I actually have…feelings now. I occasionally caught the glimpse of a feeling every once in a while, which made me different than the rest of the Organization. They faked their feelings, but sometimes I actually felt something. And now…I feel all of these emotions, and they're strange. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Namine closed her eyes for a second and looked back at the sketch pad, continuing to sketch. But Roxas noticed something. Something he had never seen on any nobody: a tear. He walked up to her. "Namine…" he said as he used his finger and slowly took the tear from Namine's cheek.

He felt the moisture of the tear on his finger. "I've never…done that before…" Namine said, her voice somewhat shaky.

Roxas then saw what Namine had drawn. It was both of them standing together, smiles on their face. But then he looked at the picture again, and saw in the picture they were holding hands. He just looked at Namine as they stared at each other. Before Roxas knew it, they were kissing. Roxas closed his eyes, feeling something he had never before. A feeling of love.

The door opened as Axel stepped in, but he stopped in his tracks as Namine and Roxas stopped kissing and turned at Axel in surprise and embarrassment. Axel gave a small smile. "You owe me 1,000 munny Roxas."

Roxas than remembered Axel's "bet" back at Radiant garden. He gave a small scowl, but Namine just gave a small giggle.

*****

Riku walked into the basement of the mansion. He had searched the entire bottom floor, but found nothing. He descended into the hidden computer room, but he then heard a voice. Halting for a second, Riku dived into his darkness senses. He could hear keys being typed on a computer, but there was also a strong scent of darkness. He peered into the room to see all of the lights were off, the sheen from the computer screens not giving much light. He closed his eyes, and small sheet of darkness covered his eyes. He could than see the outline of the room. Everything was dark gray in his darkness vision, except the computer screens being white, and the dark outline of a figure at the keyboard. However set across the floor where several traps.

Whoever was at the computer was smart. Keeping the lights off, no one coming in would notice the traps. Except for someone using the darkness that is. Riku silently crept around all of the traps and was a foot away from the figure. He then blinked his eyes removing the darkness vision. He could see the person sitting at the computer, not even noticing so entranced by searching through the computer's files. The person banged their fist on the keyboard. "Damn it!" came a girl's voice.

Riku then summoned Road to Dawn and put it at the back of the girl's neck. He heard her gasp quickly. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

The girl was silent. "You…you…"

"I what?"

"You…smell like…him."

Riku's eyes widened. This person could sense the darkness too, and could sense the remains' of Xehanort's darkness in him. Before he could do anything, the girl whipped around and backhanded Riku in the face as he fell back, his foot hitting a trap. Instantly, the room lit up with an intense light that Riku had to shield his eyes.

Riku stumbled his way out of the basement as he came back into the main room of the mansion. He blinked his eyes several times trying to get his retinas adjusted to the difference in light. He could than see the outline of the girl running from the mansion, and he could see her long, orange hair flowing behind her. "Come back!" Riku yelled, chasing after her.

Axel, Roxas, and Namine then ran out of the White Room. "Riku?" Namine said.

"Get back here!" he shouted running through the doors to the mansion ignoring the former Nobodies.

*****

Hayner, Pence, and Olette sat around the Usual Spot. "I'm so glad it's Saturday," Hayner.

School had started soon after they had last seen Sora, and it was the first weekend. "So, what are we gonna do today?" Pence asked.

"Shopping?' Olette asked.

Hayner shook his head. Just then, a group of people entered the room. "Hey! This is our-" Hayner started, but Pence cut him off.

"Sora!"

"Hey guys!" Sora said.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy!" Olette said. "Kairi, you too!"

"And you're that king guy, right?" Hayner asked to King Mickey.

"That would be me!"

"Looks like you guys made it," Pence said.

"Yeah, through a crazy series of events to! A'huck!" Goofy said.

"When that weird guy took you Kairi, I didn't know what to think," Olette said.

"Oh Axel. He's on our side now," Kairi said.

"What!?" Hayner said.

The five filled in the gang about what had happened at the World That Never Was and then explained about the large heartless they were looking for. "I believe it is one of the rare Nightmare heartless," Mickey said. "Have you seen it or heard anyone mention Nightmare?"

After a moment, they shook their heads. Sora groaned. "Great. No leads."

"I do."

They turned around to see Neku standing behind them. "Who's this guy?" Hayner asked, getting annoyed so many people knowing about the Usual Spot.

"Neku! What are you doing here?" Donald asked.

"Simple, I followed. And this Nightmare thing has headed out into the ocean. Going by some Railroad tracks or something."

Mickey gasped. "It's heading after Yen Sid!"

"We have to get on the train!" Sora said.

Neku shook his head. "Train's out. I'm guessing the Nightmare demolished it before it headed out."

"Any of you guys know how to fix a train?" Sora asked.

All of them shook their heads. But Pence got an idea. "I know someone who might."

"Who?"

"I met him at school. He's a senior, although I hear he had to retake some grade because he failed, so he's like eighteen already. He's like a cool guy though and he talks a lot about mechanics and science."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Dunno where he lives, but he's been getting rough with Siefer lately. Siefer challenged him to a Struggle match, and that should be going on right now."

"There was a Struggle match and you didn't tell me!" Hayner said, running to the Struggle arena.

"What's Struggle?" Neku asked.

"You'll see, come on!" Sora said leading the rest of the gang after Hayner.

* * *

(1)I think everyone's said this at least once

Three OCs to be introduced in next chapter. You got a glimpse of one in this chapter and a little background information on another. The third…I'll keep that a secret for now.

In other news: TA-DA! The entire story has been edited. I've changed notes with numbers, added Limit names, added Jiminy Journals, and also added some info in the prologue. Check it out!

_Dezblade_


	35. 34: Friend of Foe?

To start off, congrats to DimesnionDude. The orange material is Buhamut! Which one from which game? That'll be shown later. Anyway, thanks for the Soulz information, although what you told me probably won't show up until a few worlds from now. I'll try my hardest to make more consistent updates.

And this is a VERY long chapter compared to most of mine. Biggest so strap yourself in for new characters and action.

* * *

Chapter 34: Friend or Foe?

Riku chased after the girl through the woods, her orange hair giving her position away in the green and brown surrounding. "Come back!" He yelled again, but the girl ignored him just like all of the other times Riku said something.

He then spun around a tree following her, but she was gone, no trace of her left. Riku sniffed the air, and he could sense something from above him. He looked up just in time to see a large branch of a tree falling towards him. He quickly jumped to the side as the wood hit the ground, breaking in half. He looked back up to see the girl jump from the trees, screaming as she descended towards Riku, her right leg out in a kick. Riku just simply crouched low to the ground as the kick missed him.

The girl once landing with both feet on the forest floor, she took off at an even faster running pace, her long grey shorts almost ripping on the branches that lay on the forest floor. Whoever this girl was, she didn't want to be discovered, was ready to attack Riku, and was somehow involved with darkness. Riku shook his head as he ran after her as she started to enter the outer edge of the town.

*****

Sora and the others soon caught up to Hayner, who now watched from feet away from the struggle match set up. In a square formation, a crowd of high school students surrounding the two holding struggle weapons. Siefer held his struggle weapon pointing at the other corner of the square. "You think you can actually fight me? How pathetic."

Sora walked forward trying to squeeze through the crowd to see how Siefer was fighting. He could see Siefer, but not the other. Then he heard a voice that sounded more like an adult's. "I don't think I fight you. I know I can fight you, and even defeat you."

Sora could then see an eighteen year old guy stand up from the corner, where he must have been sitting on the ground. The guy was a little over six feet, perhaps 6'2", a black fedora with a red ribbon concealing most of his black hair. His brown eyes shone, a small grin displayed across his face. A navy blue shirt was slightly visible under his black windbreaker, two bold red stripes on the sleeves of the jacket. His white shoes and tan cargo pants stood out from his darker colors as he stepped forward, tapping the struggle weapon in his right hand as he held it in his left. "So Siefer, you ready for a beating?" **Neku's Playlist: Re-Education (Through Labor) by Rise Against from Appeal to Reason.**

Siefer jumped forward to strike at the teen, but the teen with the fedora sidestepped at the last second leaving him to the left of Siefer. "Nice miss," he commented.

Siefer scowled and swung again, but the teen blocked the blow with ease. Siefer swung again and again, but the teen evaded or blocked every single move that was thrown at him. Some people in the crowd began to boo, growing tired off a fight that was supposed to have been great. "What? You too afraid to attack me ya geek?" Siefer insulted.

The teen blocked another blow, stood back, than shook his index finger. "Naughty and no manners. Well, I wanted the lady to attack first apparently she has no manners."

Enraged, Siefer charged forward and jumped bringing down the struggle weapon. The teen moved out of the way, but when Siefer landed and his struggle weapon hitting the ground, the teen threw his struggle sword over Siefer's pinning it to the ground. Siefer struggled to lift it, but surprisingly the teen's strength overcame Siefer's. The teen then quickly released the pin, but pushed Siefer back with his right hand. Siefer stumbled back, and the teen dashed in.

Then the teen swiped his first offensive attack. The blow pushed Siefer back even further, knocking the air out of him. The teen than unleashed a furry of attacks that didn't stop as he kept pushing back on Siefer as the crowd began to grow silent. They hadn't expected this. They were expecting Siefer to easily defeat a simple nerd that dressed fancy, but the tables had turned dramatically. Within a minute, Siefer had been able to block only three blows and throw in two himself. He had been hit over eleven times, and both of his attacks had been blocked. He knelled with one knee on the ground, gasping deeply. The teen stood in front of him, the struggle weapon at his side. "So, you quite finished yet?"

Siefer started to rise, but he collapsed back to the ground. After a moment, the crowd gave out a small cheer. The fight had been a surprise no doubt, but the crowd had gotten a thrill out of it never the less. The teen just simply tossed the struggle sword and it landed next to Siefer. "Here's your toy. Hope you learned an important lesson."

The teen turned around and started to walk off, when Siefer rose from the ground, giving out a yell as he brought the struggle sword in a swipe. Before anyone could react, the teen spun on his heels, and _caught _the struggle sword in his hands. He then swiped it out of the hands of a surprised Siefer, and stuck him back with his own struggle back. Siefer fell back to the ground, slowly got up, and limped off holding his chest. The crowd was quiet as they watched him walk off, most of the crowd staring at the teen. The teen just simply tipped the brow of his fedora, and jogged off. Sora turned to Pence. "That's the guy?"

"Yeah, but I never knew he could pull off moves like that!"

"He's talented with his swordsmanship," Mickey remarked.

"He seemed more like a show-off," Donald said.

"Well, if he can fix the train, we'd better follow him," Neku said.

"I have a name you know."

Sora jumped around to see the teenager right behind them, obviously catching what they were saying. "Pence, isn't it?" the teen asked.

"Yeah. Oh, guys, this is Valdamar," Pence said.

"Please, I prefer Vald," the teen said. "Pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Sora. This is Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Neku."

"And you remember Hayner and Olette, right?" Pence said.

"Dude, where'd you learn to fight like that?" Hayner said, the fight completely catching his interest.

Valdamar simply shrugged. "I picked up a few tricks here and there. Learned the basics a while back. So, what brings you to Twilight Town? You don't look like you're from here."

"Not trying to sound to be blunt, but you don't look like you do either," Kairi said.

"Kairi, right? Right you are. Just came here two weeks ago after being gone more than a year. Apparently my visits away from here made me no longer seem like a local," said Vald. "So, you need to use a train that's broken down?"

They nodded. Valdamar rubbed his chin. "Make you an offer. Are any of you good with a sword?"

"Am I good? I'm great with a sword!" Sora said.

"Well here's the deal: You and me. We fight."

"What?" Neku said.

"You win, I'll fix the train for you, free of charge. You lose but put a great fight and are close to beating me, you'll only have to pay me for fixing the train. You completely lose…ten thousand munny."

"That's crazy!" Donald said.

"No, it's business," Vald said.

"Perhaps I should be the one to fight you then," Mickey said.

"No your majesty, I can beat him," Sora said.

Vald raised an eyebrow. "Majesty? As in King? As in King Mickey Mouse?"

"That's right!" Goofy said.

"You've heard of me?" King Mickey said.

"Yes, a while ago. I was…staying for a few nights in a city named Radiant Garden when I overheard about you…your majesty." Vald awkwardly adding the last part.

"You were in Radiant Garden?" Kairi asked.

"Not too long, and like I said, a while ago. So, Sora was it? You believe you can defeat me?"

Sora pumped his fist. "You bet!"

Vald gave a small smile, than yelled to the crowd. "Hey people! Stick around, Round 2 is gonna start in a few."

*****

Roxas, Namine, and Axel ran through the forest, searching for Riku. "Where did you go you crazy dude of darkness?" Axel said.

"Do you think he went back into town?" Roxas asked.

"Not where he went. Where that person he was chasing went. He was following them closely, so it appeared. Now if I were running from someone, where would I go?" Namine asked herself.

"A safe place," Axel said.

"The underground passages?" Roxas said.

"Sounds like a place to start," Namine said, and three began to walk into the town.

Once setting foot on the brick ground, an explosion sounded. The three turned around in surprise as they gasped. Axel than gave out a low whistle. "Either that big heartless is here, or something else crazy is going on here."

The forest had been obliterated. It was a good thing they were out of it, otherwise who knew what would have happened to them. Remaining fragments of tree stumps and branches lay all over the ground, most still lit ablaze. The ground had become black as the three cautiously stepped off of the brick and onto the ash ground.

Immediately upon doing so, an iridescent wall of energy formed a wall behind them, and all the places where trees once were iridescent pillars rose to the sky. They all looked around wildly as the once wooded forest had now become a maze of magical energy, and they had been trapped inside. "What is going on here?" Roxas asked.

"I wish I knew than myself, young soulz."

The three looked to see where the voice had come from. One of pillars was much shorter than the rest, and someone in a purple Organization cloak stood on top, arms as his side. However, his cloak seemed much thinner then all of the other ones the three had ever seen before. "Another Seeker," Namine said. "Who are you? Xaldin? Xigbar? Because I doubt you're Demyx."

The figure on the pillar shrugged. "Never heard of any of them. Then again, I believe they might be former members of Organization XIII, which I was never in."

The figure than disappeared in a wisp of purple smoke. They all looked around wildly, trying to see where the Seeker had gone. "Boo."

Roxas cried out in surprise, turning around to see a large purple hood behind him. "Well Roxas, what Vexen told me about you seems to be right. Very jumpy."

"I don't know who you are, but you better stay right where you are," Axel said.

"Oh, really?" the Seeker asked as he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, Axel fell to the ground covering his ears. "Axel!" Namine said.

But before Namine could react, she fall down to the ground as well, crying out in pain. "What have you done!" Roxas screamed summoning his keyblades and swipped at the Seeker.

But the keyblades just went straight through the purple cloaked Seeker, and he disappeared. "What?"

"Up here."

Roxas turned around to look up to see the figure back upon the pillar above of them if hadn't moved at all. "It is so easy to crush you, I don't even see why I try," he said removing his hood.

His face was pale, but his hair was another story. It was pitch black, the left side of it smooth, almost perfect. The right side of his hair was wild however, sticking in almost every direction and untidy. A patch of the midnight hair covered his right, leaving his left brown eye perfectly. "My name is Xidmun, and look what I have done by just standing in the same place and not even moving. Axel hears something beyond what the ear should hear, and Namine wrangles on the ground in horrible pain. But for your eyes, I let you see what is real."

"You've…you've manipulated them," Roxas said, then thinking harder for a moment, "How am I supposed to know if you're doing the same to me?"

Xidmun pointed a finger at Roxas. "That is a good question. Now I will make you an offer Roxas."

Than everything went pitch black for Roxas and he began to fall into the darkness.

*****

Riku walked slowly through the underground passageways, trying not to make a sound. He knew she was down here, somewhere. But where? The passageways were a modern day catacomb as Riku slowly walked through, his senses of darkness somehow diminished here. He could smell the darkness of the girl, but from what direction he knew not. He had Road to Dawn out as he cautiously stepped around a corner. He then stopped in his tracks. Part of a wall had been smashed down, a hidden room revealed.

He slowly walked in, and looked around. There was hardly anything in the room, except for a few blue lights hanging from the walls. The room was like a jagged circle showing where walls from the underground passages went around the hidden room. In the middle of the room, was a small pedestal. The girl stood at the pedestal, trying to open something on top of it. "You couldn't wait for me, could you?" Riku said breaking the silence.

The girl whipped around, and Riku got a first good look at her. She looked a year older than him, perhaps seventeen. Her orange hair was long, streaming halfway down her back. She stood about 5'6", slightly shorter than Riku. She wore a brown t-shirt, grey shorts that went past her knees, black tennis shoes on her feet. Her green eyes pierced the darkness as she looked at Riku. "Why are you following me?" She managed after a few seconds.

"To find out why you were on the computer back at the mansion. And how I can smell you and vice versa," Riku said stepping closer to the pedestal.

The girl than shot a glare at Riku as he walked closer. Not wanting to start a fight, he walked around in a circle to the other side of the pedestal, the girl's eyes never leaving him. "I was looking for something, but the computer didn't help much," the girl said.

Riku then saw what was contained in an almost clear crystal chest: part of the Royal Scroll. "You were looking for the Royal Scroll?" Riku said.

"It's mine, minion!" the girl said raising her voice.

"I am no minion!" Riku yelled back.

"Then why do you smell like him? Like Ansem?" the girl yelled back.

Riku was silent, but he raised Road to Dawn, and the girl hesitated to step back. "Ansem never was a heartless. What you smell is the remnants of Xehanort's heartless that went around saying he was Ansem. A while ago he tricked me into the darkness, but I realized my mistakes, and took the darkness to myself. However, what little remains of him is still within me, but nothing that he can't control. My darkness is my own."

He then unlocked the chest with his keyblade and took the Royal Scroll and put it in his pocket. "Now since I've explained your questions, now it's your turn. Who are you? And how do you smell of darkness?"

The girl looked at Riku. "Give me the scroll."

"No."

The girl stared at Riku, and then pounced forward, sending them both to the ground. The girl than punched Riku across the face as he could taste some blood in his mouth. He quickly kicked her off and got back to his feet. He then grabbed her with one hand and brought her up, bringing Road to Dawn to her throat. "I tried being nice," Riku said, a drip of blood coming from the corner of his lip.

The girl gave a wicked smile. "So did I."

A swirl of darkness than appeared in the girl's hand as she grabbed the darkness. Then in an instant, a weapon appeared in her hand, and Riku gasped. In her hands, was a keyblade, now up to his throat as well. The keyblade was mainly black with twisted bands of gold sneaking around its hilt and blade. It reminded Riku of oblivion as he could see a black hole keychain hanging from the hilt of the keyblade. "I am Yami, and this is Dark Whisper. Now, you will hand me the Royal Scroll and I will leave."

"Who are you working for?"

"Like you, I was once tricked by the darkness, but I wish to change my ways. However, the Royal Scroll is the only way I can do that. Now, hand it over."

Riku shook his head slightly. Yami quickly raised her eyebrows. "No? Poor choice."

She then moved her keyblade in a swipe, but Riku did the same with his, and they blocked each other. **Neku's Playlist: Whisper by Evanescence from Fallen**.

Riku then swung in an uppercut, but Yami quickly blocked the blow and pushed back with strength that surprised Riku. They both then both swung their keyblades to oppose each other. Riku swung left, Yami to the right. Uppercut, downward swing. Swipe down and to the left, blocked with ease. Left, right. Down right, uppercut left. Stabbing thrust, sideways step. Than a flurry of blows from each as they both used the darkness to speed of their swings. Road to Dawn and Dark Whisper swung into a blur as both moved at speed of helicopter blades, the gusts created from the attacks causing the blue light to dimmer slightly in the hidden room. Riku used Dark Firagra, but Yami held her keyblade in a defensive position as the dark energy bounced off at hit the walls of the room. Yami then pointed her keyblade straight up, a pool of darkness surrounding her. She then lifted her other arm as an orb of darkness appeared in her hand. "Try blocking this! VORTEX!"

She threw the orb into the middle of the room as she jumped on top of the pedestal that once held the Royal Scroll. She then struck the orb with Dark Whisper. Instantly, lose bricks and pieces of the wall in the room flew up into the air and began to circle around Yami as if she were the vortex of a twister. Riku stuck Road to Dawn into the ground as he felt the wind tug on him. Soon he found himself being sucked into the energy of Yami's attack, his keyblade wedged into the ground being the only thing keeping him from being sucked in.

In a few seconds, the wind died out, and Yami dropped to the ground as several bricks flew through the room, a portion of one of the walls collapsing from the power. Riku fell to the ground as well, three brocks hitting his back causing more pain. He slowly got up from the ground as he took Road to Dawn out from the crevice that had saved his life as Yami approached. But Riku could tell by just looking at her that the attack had just exhausted her as well. "Now, give me the scroll." Yami said out of breath.

Riku than thought for a few moments to back what Samen had told them. In order to do something with the Crossroads, they needed keyblade wielders that walked all paths of the crossroads. It was too obvious that Yami was one that walked the path of darkness. "Tell you what," Riku said, "We both need the Royal Scroll for very important reasons. So why don't we say we work together. Two of us who are both involved with the darkness shouldn't be fighting each other."

Yami looked at him. She was about to speak, when a group of Dusks that came through the wall that had been torn down. "Nobodies!" Yami said rising Dark Whisper.

"You don't like these things either than," Riku said reading himself.

Yami looked between Riku and the Nobodies. "We both hate these, so I expect you not to lay a hand on me."

Yami then rushed forward and swiped at a Dusk as it flew back and hit a wall. Riku rushed in too, and they began to make short work of the Nobodies. As they fought, he could see that Yami's fighting style was similar to Sora's, but her use of the darkness while fighting was similar to his own. She even used Dark Firagra herself on three Dusks sending them back to the darkness. When no where left, they both were even more exhausted. "So…you've run into…these before?" Yami asked.

Riku gave a chuckle. "Heartless, Nobodies, the Organization, and now the soulz. I've encountered them all."

At the mention of Organization XIII, Yami slightly flinched. "You fought the Organization? I ran into one of their members once."

Riku raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

"One named Marluxia. He tried to make me into a Nobody, but I escaped. That was over two years ago.

There was more to this girl than met the eye Riku thought. "You still willing to take up on my offer?"

Yami pondered. "You tried to kill me back there."

"So did you."

Yami nodded. "A life for a life. Well, seeing as you won't give up the part of the Royal Scroll and we're evenly matched, I feel I have no option."

Riku nodded, and held out his free hand. "You swear you aren't going to hurt me or any of my friends?"

Yami looked at Riku's hand. "You're with others? Well since I don't know these guys, I'm on hold for that bargain. For now, I won't attack you till we meet your friends. How's that?" she said.

Riku nodded, wanting to quickly join up with the others. Yami shook his head, and started to walk off , Riku next to her. "Oh, and if you are thinking about getting any ideas about you and me, you can forget them," she said.

"What?!" Riku said in surprise.

"You heard me. Now where are these stupid friends of yours?"

Slightly annoyed, Riku pointed to one of the exits of the underground passage he had come in, and they two walked back up to the surface.

*****

Valdamar and Sora stood opposite of each other, both with Struggle sword, the crowd of teenagers cheering. "Come one Sora!" Donald yelled.

"You gotta win man!" Neku yelled.

Vald swung his struggle weapon on a circle. "Sure you don't want to back out? My normal fee is a lot less than ten thousand."

"Free is better than anything!" Sora said.

"So, what about the rules?" Vald asked, relaxing for a moment walking up to Sora.

"Huh?" Sora said, caught off guard. "Don't we just fight with hands and struggle swords till someone wins?"

"Pretty much, but other than that, no real rules, right?" Vald said, kicking Sora where it hurts the most.

Sora cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.

"Ouch," Neku and Hayner said at the same time.

"Hey!" Goofy yelled. "That wasn't really nice!"

"Someone say go," Vald said walking in the opposite direction away from Sora.

"One two three go!" Sora roared getting up and running from where he was on the ground counting off quickly.

Vald spun around and quickly brought up the struggle sword to block the attack, but he was unprepared for Sora's strength, expecting less. He stumbled backwards for a moment, but he remained good balance and swung forward. Sora blocked the teen's swing as he dodge rolled to the side, and got back up ready for the next attack. Valdamar swung the struggle weapon down as Sora brought up his holding the hilt with his right hand, his left hand supporting and weapons as well. "Well, Sora, you're doing much better than I expected. Considering Sora is a girl's name in the first place."

Sora then pushed Vald of his weapon and they exchanged more blows back and forth, each one of them landing four hits upon the other, but also several blocks. They then jumped back from each other, and ran towards each other, both hitting each other's struggle swords as they tried to push the other off. Sweat dripped from both of their faces, both of their hands with death grips on the fake swords as they pushed back at each other. Sora than side stepped, causing Valdamar to stumble forward. Sora stuck out his leg, and let gravity do the rest.

Vald fell to the ground, and Sora pointed the Struggle weapon at the back of Vald's neck. "Yield," Sora said.

"We're not done yet Sora."

Vald quickly spun back up to his feet, the crowd getting even more excited. But Vald now had something else in his other hand. Before Sora could question what it was, Vald quickly snapped the object, and it swung forward wrapping around Sora's struggle sword. The fake sword than was ripped out of his hands as it flew towards the crowd. Vald then quickly spun his whip around and put it back on a small loop on his cargo pants. "Ah, the element of surprise, you have to love it," Valdamar said.

Before Sora could object for Valdamar using a weapon other than the Struggle sword, he heard a high pitched scream. He turned to face where it came from to see Vivi running away from an odd creature. It seemed robotic standing on three legs that as they ended in points, its upper body completely bronze, green square eyes on a dome shaped head. Instead of two arms, the thing had a sword for one arm, a laser canon for the other. It than fired the laser cannon near the crowd, causing rubble to fall from a nearby building. "_Destroy all inhabitants,"_ said a binary voice that came from the soulz Droid.

"Soulz!" Sora yelled.

The crowd of teenagers began to flee, but more soulz Droids began to come from all exits, blocking any escape routes. Sora than summoned the Kingdom Key and ran towards the Droid. It fired another laser blast, one which Sora jumped to the side to avoid. He then swung the keyblade at its head, only for its sword arm to block the attack. Sora and the soulz exchanged blows for a few seconds, until a blast of lightning short circuited the Droid for a second. Sora took the opportunity to hit the helmet head of the Droid. It seemed dazed as it moved around, it's vision sensors shut off. Sora swiped the keyblade through one of its thing legs, and the leg broke off as it fell to the ground, not able to move, revealing a blue plate at the bottom of its body. Sora hit the blue plate, and the Droid soared into the air crashing into another Droid as they both vanished.

"Thanks for the thunder Donald!" Sora said as Donald walked up to him.

"No problem Sora!"

Sora looked to see Kairi and Goofy taking on a series of the Droids, and Neku handling himself well fending off other Droids. But more approached the crowd of high school kids. "We gotta help them! Donald! Wisdom!"

Donald nodded, and Sora put a hand on Donald. In an instant, Sora was in Wisdom form, the Kingdom key slightly longer, his clothes blue, and he floated above the ground. Sora than zoomed over towards the teenage crowd, firing magical bullets from the keyblade. These seemed to work very well on the Droids as Sora was able to shoot them down and also use a series of thunder spells to malfunction many of the droids. After a few minutes, one of the exits was no longer blocked as the teens made a run for it escaping safely. Soon afterwards, the drive ended, leaving Sora and Donald slightly exhausted. Sora then saw out of the corner of his eye as a Droid scrambled at him from his left.

Before Sora could jump out of the way, something wrapped around the robot soulz's sword arm. It than became airborne and flew away slamming into another Droid resulting in an explosion. Sora could then see Valdamar standing with the whip in his right hand, a double edged sword in his left. Two more Droids approached the fedora wearing teen, both ready to fire their laser cannons. Vald brought his sword up blocking the blow from one of the Droids as he swung his whip around the laser canon of the other. The laser canon arm came off of the Droid as Vald yanked on it and fell to the ground, where Vald quickly put his sword and whip down, and picked up the arm. "Now does this fire?" he asked himself fooling around with the wires.

Then three laser blasts shot out of the cannon destroying the two Droids. But the arm disappeared with the Droid it came from. "Darn, that would have come in handy."

Sora ran over to Vald as he picked back up his sword and whip. "Oh darn," Vald commented, "I got robot oil on Banisher." In answer to Sora's odd stare, he answered, "My sword. It's called Banisher."

Sora then took another quick look around. Kairi, Goofy, and Neku walked towards him, Vald, and Donald. "Looks like we got all of them," Kairi said.

"Not quite."

Sora tuned to his left, and gasped.

* * *

Vald (Valdamar)- (OC) eighteen, 6'2", brown eyes, black hair, black fedora, windbreaker, navy blue shirt, tan cargo pants, white shoes, and carries a large broadsword, nicknamed "Banisher". A new resident to Twilight Town (and a bit of a science know it all), he helps Sora and the gang. Voice actor: Yuri Lowenthal as Reks in Final Fantasy XII

Xidmun (OC)- a.k.a. The Purple Coated Seeker. A soulz who is thin, pale, and has neat hair on one side, wacky hair on one side, which is similar to his attitude. He can manipulate others senses, including seeing things that aren't there or feeling pain that doesn't actually exist. He also has two wrist blades for weapons. Voiced by: Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow on Batman Begins)

Yami- (OC) a seventeen year old, and the keyblade wielder of darkness. Controls a new dark keyblade (Dark Whisper) that is black and gold. 5'6", long orange hair, green eyes, brown t-shirt, long grey shorts, black tennis shoes. Uses the power of darkness and wind, almost killing Riku with is before deciding to fight with him. Her reason for finding the Royal Scroll is unkown. Voiced by Tara Strong (Raven in Teen Titans).

LONG chapter, WITH a cliffhanger. I'm getting tricky now. ^_^ Next two or three chapters will finish Twilight Town, and then onto more Disney Worlds. I'll update a.s.a.p.

Also Re-Education is Vald's theme song while Whisper is Yami's.

_Dezblade_


	36. 35: The Seeker's Mission

Chapter 35: The Seeker's Mission

Roxas opened his eyes and looked around. He knew where he was. He was in The Castle That Never Was. He remembered this chamber from when he was a member. It was a circular room with several chairs that sat at different heights through the room. This was the room where all the meeting were held. "Revisiting favorite memories?"

Roxas turned around bringing out Oathkeeper and Oblivion to face Xidmun sitting in the chair that once was his. The Purple coated Seeker slowly rose from his spot. "How did you get me here?" Roxas asked.

"That is not important. What is important is this: I knew were strong, but you see, I had to test you first. That Soulz you took out back at that place full of monsters? That test was mine."

"That was your voice," Roxas said, linking the voice he heard at Monsters Inc.

"Exactly, and you proved to be strong. You see Roxas, the Seekers are a growing group. In fact we just added a member to our cause four days ago. So it I bear a message from the leader of our group to you."

"I think you brought the same message to Axel, and he already denied you. Why ask me? You think you think I would have had a different answer?"

Xidmun shook his head. "You apparently do not understand, Roxas. In fact, we were against letting Axel join us. You see, when he double crossed Marluxia back at Castle Oblivion, his reason of trust with members that were there at the time doesn't do very well. We simply told him that if he fought us, he would meet the bitter end. I suppose he got the idea that we wanted him to join us. He was wrong. However, you and Namine are different."

Roxas' grip on his keyblade tightened even more at the mention of Namine's name. Xidmun gave a small laugh. "Look at how long you've been a soulz from being a nobody, and already you have become a slave to your emotions. You are not used to such things. Soon these emotions will control your every will, and will even deceive you. Souls are powerful things, and henceforth the most powerful souls on their own can become soulz. And the greatest of all soulz become what me and other members of the Seekers are. You and Namine are no different. So it would be an honor for you two, to join us."

"You are mad!" Roxas yelled running forward slashing the keyblades and the purple cloaked Seeker. However, Xidmun jumped high above Roxas, landing feet first in the seat the Xemnas once sat in. "Just what do you want anyways?" Roxas asked.

"That, I am not allowed to tell you, Roxas. But I believe your friends will find out soon enough, so I believe it would be a simple waste of time to explain to you. I will, however, give you this warning."

Then out of the sleeves of Xidmun's cloak came two triangular tipped blades that seemed to come from his wrists. They extended until the weapons both extended two feet from his hands. The Seeker then jumped from his high seat and started to fall head first towards Roxas, his wrist blades crossed in front of him. Roxas positioned Oathkeeper and Oblivion so they touched at their tips, and then began to fire blasts of orange light at the Seeker. Five rounds of the energy hit Xidmun, but the Seeker didn't even flinch. He continued to fall towards Roxas and slashed his wrist blades at Roxas. Roxas was quickly able to block the first swipe, but the second hit his left shoulder, tearing his clothes and leaving a small gash.

Roxas twinged in pain for a moment, but he turned back around to see Xidmun coming at him from the side with his blades again. Roxas brought Oblivion quickly blocking both blows and swung Oathkeeper at Xidmun's midsection. The keyblade slightly scrapped the Seeker's cloak, but caused no damage. Roxas swung two more attacks at the Seeker, but he blocked quickly, the attacks almost hitting him. "I grow tired, good bye," Xidmun said.

Then with supreme strength hurled Roxas back so that he flew into the wall of the room and fell to the floor, both of the keyblades falling out of his hands. Roxas slowly got to his knees, but fell again as he felt he couldn't breathe. Roxas tried to cough, but not a sound escaped his lips. He turned to see Xidmun walking towards him, no wait, there were two of him! Now three, now four. Then five Xidmuns stood around Roxas, his eyes blurring not being able to breathe. "Now," all the Xidmuns spoke at once, "you will not bother the Seekers again, understood?"

Roxas then could breathe again by miracle, and spread his arms to his sides, two blasts of orange energy shooting from his hands flying through two Xidmuns, breaking them apart. But the other three swiftly ran up to Roxas.

Before Roxas knew what had happened, he cried out in pain. He looked down in horror to see six wrist blades sticking all the way through various parts of his chest. He tasted blood in his mouth. The three Xidmuns took out their blades as the blood began to pour out and Roxas saw no more of what was happening.

*****

"Roxas! Wake up!"

Roxas could hear something, but it was faint. The voice seemed frantic and desperate. "Roxas! You have to wake up! Please! Don't…"

Roxas could than feel a hand move across his face. And then he felt something else: a kiss on his lips. "Please Roxas…I love you…" said the voice, now recognizable.

Roxas' eyes slowly opened. He saw Namine's face in front of his own, blocking anything else in his vision. Her blue eyes seemed frightened, but overjoyed to see that Roxas had regained consciousness. "Namine…what…" Roxas said slowly.

"Xidmun's gone. After Axel heard something terrible, you fell down to the ground. Xidmun then left with a bunch of Droid soulz that tried to kill us. Axel's finishing off the last of them, but you were out the entire time."

Roxas slowly got up, Namine standing up helping him up. Roxas just looked around and saw the forest, no different than it was before. Axel then soon came walking over, out of breath, one of his charklams still on fire. "About time you woke up!"

"You mean…everything I just saw…it was all…an illusion?"

"What we saw, what we heard, what we felt, all illusions," Axel said confirming Roxas.

"So…he didn't practically kill me."

"What?!" the other two said at once.

Roxas than remembered something Xidmun had said in his illusion:

"_Just what do you want anyways?" Roxas asked._

"_That, I am not allowed to tell you, Roxas. But I believe your friends will find out soon enough, so I believe it would be a simple waste of time to explain to you."_

Roxas eyes went wide. "Quick! We have to find everybody else!"

"What's going on?" Namine asked.

"No time! We have to run!" Roxas said starting to run off.

Before he could exit, a gold and red portal appeared in front of him, Axel walking out. "I think using the portal is going to help us move a bit faster, don't you think?"

"How is it you can do that anyways? I knew how to do it as a Nobody, but not as a Soulz," Namine said catching up to the two.

"Samen actually taught me one thing useful, but I doubt I'd have time to teach either of you. Now come on, let go find the rest of them."

*****

Riku and Yami walked through Twilight Town, but had not been able to find any of the others. "Some friends they are of yours. You walk through half of town and you have no clue where they are," Yami said, relatively bored.

"Look, if you ever want the Royal Scroll, you better start behaving because you being impatient is not helping!" Riku yelled frustrated.

They both then a loud chorus of feet hitting brick ground. They turned to see a large crowd of teenagers running up the alleyway. "What the?" Riku said stepping up against a building trying not to get run over the crowd of teenagers running for their lives.

"What's going on?" Yami asked she stepped up next to Riku trying to avoid from being stampeded over.

A girl noticed Riku and Yami and skidded quickly to a stop. "What are you just standing there for? Run before they come after you too!"

"Who?" Riku asked.

"The killer robot things!" a guy shouted running past, grabbing the girl by her elbow and the crowd continued to run off.

"Killer robots?" Yami asked. "Your friends are killer robots?"

"No! It must be soulz, or heartless, or something. Most likely they are attacking Sora and the others," Riku said, jogging in the direction where the teens had run from.

Yami slowly followed behind him. After two blocks, Riku cautiously looked around a corner to see Sora and the others fighting off the Droid soulz. "Soulz all right, we'd better be careful."

"No, they'd better," Yami said, staring up at the sky standing next to Riku.

"What?"

Without warning, Yami spun her right arm and then pointed up. A whirlwind then surrounded the two as they were lifted up from Yami's wind magic and soared to the top of the building they were standing next to. As they landed, Riku saw what Yami was talking about. On top of the roof were three Droid Soulz poised, ready to fire their laser cannons. "Now!" Yami yelled running forward, summoning her keyblade from the darkness.

Riku summoned Road to Dawn and together they ambushed one soulz, vanquishing it. The other two Droids turned realizing they were taken by surprise, and began to retaliate. However, they were no match for the keyblades. Riku threw Road to Dawn in a Strike Raid leaving behind a trail of darkness while Yami shot the other with a blast of darkness that created a hole that went through the entire robotic soulz. Riku looked round, and saw that more were getting into positions across three more rooftops. "Come on!" Riku yelled waving Yami forward.

The two wielders of darkness ran full speed across the roof as they came towards the other one. Using the darkness to help them, Riku jumped over the gap between the buildings, Yami using a strong gust of air. As they both landed, they found six Droids on the rooftop, and they all had their laser cannons pointed at them. "Any bright ideas?" Riku said.

"No. I got some dark ones though."

Yami lowered Dark Whisper and held out her right hand as if she were telling the soulz to stop. The Droids readied their cannon, two of them preparing to rush forward with their swords. Then a dark disk appeared in Yami's hand, and she grabbed onto it, and flung it at one of the Droids. It hit the droid, but seemed to do nothing. "Uh…that was really uneventful," Riku said.

"Oh shut it. It works on heartless and nobodies, I figured it would work on these guys," Yami said.

The Droids then fired their laser cannons, and Riku jumped in front of Yami using Dark Reflect, causing the laser blasts to be fired back upon their owners. Two down, four to go. Riku looked at Yami. "Yami."

"Really, you need my help?"

Slightly annoyed while beginning the limit, Riku and Yami both floated inches above the rooftop, darkness and wind supporting them in the air. They glided through the air and slashed synchronized at one Droid, putting it waste, then did so with another, the Droid's swords being blocked by one keyblade, and being destroyed by the other. Then facing the last two Droids, both keyblade wielders jumped to the ground, spun their keyblades as if they were drills, and tossed them towards the two droids. The two keyblades drilled through the Droids, and swung back to their master in the fashion of a strike raid. The two Droids fell down and disappeared. "Really, you needed to do a limit to fight them?" Yami asked again.

"It was the faster option. Besides, we're gonna have to split up to get the other rooftops," Riku explained, and then began to run off to the right to reach one of the rooftops.

Yami shook her head and ran in the opposite direction, but quickly peered down at the ground. She could see a group of people, even a duck, a mouse, and a…well Yami wasn't quite so sure. But they finished taking out the Droids on the main ground and were regrouping. However, they couldn't see from behind them four droids dropping from rooftop Yami was supposed to go after. After deeply sighing, Yami jumped off of the building, using wind to slow her decent so she didn't splat onto the ground. She then ran towards the group, seeing as the fastest way to the Droids was through the group. "Looks like we got all of them," said a girl with red hair.

"Not quite," Yami said running towards them.

A guy with brown spiky hair turned around and gasped, surprised at seeing her running towards them. "A…keyblade!" he said, a keyblade in his own hands.

"That's right, and if you don't move now, it'll be in your face!" Yami said, preparing to swing Dark Whisper.

The group quickly moved as Yami dashed past them and ran for the Droids. Upon seeing her, they began to open fire. Yami jumped before the first blast could hit her, dodging the second in midair with a twirl of an air current. She touched down onto the ground, only to roll out of the way of another. The last blast was unavoidable, but Yami brought a ball of darkness in her right hand, which absorbed the laser attack. She then jumped into the air and blasted four dark laser blasts made from a combination of her darkness and the laser fired at her. The four Droids exploded upon contact of the darkness, as Yami dropped to the ground from midair, a fire burning where the Droids once stood. Yami turned around to see the group of adventures dumbfounded. "You're his friends I'm guessing," Yami said.

"That would be them," Riku said walking from the other building where he had finished off the last Droids. "Geez, you really know how to make an entrance."

Yami shrugged. "I make things up on the spot. It comes in handy."

"Riku, who is this?" the dog thing asked.

"Her name is Yami," said a teen with a fedora that walked forward.

Yami took a double take, but tried not show it. "Well, if it isn't Valdamar the inventor?"

"You know each other?" the mouse with a keyblade said.

"Knew each other when we was kids. Ran into each other a few other times, but not lately. Seems you have one of these weapons like the rest of these guys."

"Guys!!!"

Yami turned to see three individuals running from a portal that was just closing. "We gotta move! The Seekers are here!" said one with blonde spiky hair.

"Yeah, we know. We just had to fend off a lot of robot soulz," said the one with red hair.

"Well, trust me, I don't want to run into that Xidmun again," said a weird looking one in a red cloak.

"Who?" Riku asked.

"Xidmun. He wears a purple cloak if I am not mistaken."

Everyone turned to see a figure on top of a roof, the sunset right behind him making it extremely difficult to see details of his face or clothing. The silhouette they could see gave the appearance of a tall man. "Who are you?" Riku asked.

The man shifted from where he stood. "Someone who wants to change the universe."

From where the man stood, he slowly began to shimmer away in the forever twilight sun. However, the shimmering appeared in front of the group, most of everyone holding their weapons. Everyone except for Valdamar, who shrunk behind Goofy. "Hey, just block me from view, will yeah pal?" Vald said in a quiet voice.

Before Goofy could answer, the shimmering lights revealed a silver portal, where a tall figure in a silver organization cloak strode out, standing at least six and half feet tall. "So at last, we meet, wielders of the mighty weapons known as the Keyblades. I have waited years for this moment."

"Who are you?" Sora said, readying the Kingdom Key, ready to attack the Seeker.

The Seeker held up a hand in defense. "Please, I am not looking for a fight. You expect us to fight at every given instance. Are there not times where we can simply discuss things without violence? Honestly, I wonder if which of the two kinds of keyblade wielders you are at times."

"What kind of keyblade wielder we are?" Kairi asked.

"It is written that the keyblade either brought great peace to several worlds…or their destruction."

The Seeker took of the hood of his silver cloak. He looked older then Sora thought, perhaps maybe 30. His face was slightly rugged, but that the only similar thing Sora had seen in other people's faces. His fair was somewhat short and a deep purple, but kept very straight; crimson eyes showing a determined look. "May I introduce myself to you all so that you may never forget. My name is Banirith, the guider of the Soulz."

"Wait, you're the guy in charge of the Seekers!?" King Mickey said.

Banirith gave a small laugh. "You could say that, 'king' for I lead several and have seen the fall of several others. I have no heart, and what you see before you is a soul that became separated from its original self. Yet I still feel emotion, I can sense feelings. Interesting compared to a Nobody, is it not?"

"What do you want?" Yami asked.

Banirith stepped forward towards her, but Sora and Roxas raised their keyblades. "Stay back now," Roxas warned.

"Must I say again that I wish not to fight. However, since you already have your weapons out, it seems to me that you give me no choice."

Banirith then spread his arms out as magic began to weave into a shape from his back. Soon, four silver long appendages that moved like robotic tentacles, but they ended in silver hands that moved around in all directions stretching their fingers. He quickly waved his right hand, and his four tentacles pounded the ground with mighty fists, shaking the ground causing the others to fall. He brought one of his tentacles to grab Sora, but the end of a whip wrapped around the wrist of the tentacle and yanked it back. Banirith looked surprise as he saw Valdamar pulling his whip back, realizing the hold on the tentacle. "Valdamar, you are still alive, and your original self. I realized there was a possibility that you could have still survived, but not as your original self."

"It's gonna take more a couple of explosions and illusions to take me down you scum!" Valdamar said.

"You know this guy?" Axel said getting back to his feet, soon followed by everyone else.

"Ah, I see this group does not know much about you. Perhaps you should act your best behavior and not let lose your temper like you did before. They might turn back on you too," Banirith said, a slight smirk on his face.

"SHUT UP!" Valdamar yelled, running forward with his sword.

One of Banirith's tentacle hands transformed into a blade, and blocked Valdamar's attack. "You think you can fight me so easily, don't you Valdamar? But you always seem to forget some things about me."

The other three tentacles soon wrapped themselves around Valdamar. They twisted around him, chocking him, his sword and whip stuck in his hands, unable to move. But a blast of dark fire hit the tentacles, which loosened their grip on Valdamar, dropping him to the ground. Yami stepped forward, Dark Whisper pointed at the silver coated Seeker's face. "Get out of here."

One of Banirith's tentacles lunged forward towards Yami, but was knocked back by a swipe of orange energy as Neku struck back at guiding soulz with his psych abilities. Banirith raised his eyebrows, the tentacles contracting till they were no more. "So, it seems you have gained some friends Valdamar, but I wouldn't hang out with them too long. They might not be staying for a while."

"What are you trying to do?" Sora asked.

Banirith lifted his arms. "To free the universe from corruption. To free the darkness from men's and women's hearts, bodies, and souls. So that those corrupt from the darkness let go of it or are eliminated. And there is only one way to do that. That is why I come to you keyblade wielders to make an…agreement."

"Don't believe a word he says!" Valdamar shouted to the others.

"In order to rid all hearts of darkness, we must go to where all hearts begin and end: Kingdom Hearts," Banirith said.

"And you need us wielders of the keyblades to open it for you," King Mickey said finishing the Soulz's statement.

"Indeed King. But, obviously why do something for another when you do not expect anything in return, right? So what'll it be, keyblade wielders and friends? Help me and I will help you, or are we destined to become enemies till the end?"

"Sure, you send other Seekers after us kill us first, then you try to get us to work together," Axel said. "You know, I had enough of those others back in the Organization, so you can clear on out of here!"

"Agreed," Kairi said, surprising Sora.

"Very well," Banirith said, turning to leave, but stopped. "Oh, and you might want to go check out that tower away out from here. I hear the place is just a _nightmare,"_ The Silver coated Seeker said, laughing as he vanished into a portal.

"Well, now we know what we're up against," Goofy said.

"Not quite. There's more than meets the eye here," Riku said.

Valdamar then started to run off. "Hey! Where are you going!" Sora yelled after him.

Valdamar didn't stop, shouting over his shoulder. "To fix the dang train! The enemy of my enemy is my friends, and friends get repairs for free!"

Quickly, the now large group ran after Valdamar towards the train station.

* * *

Banirith (OC)- a.k.a. the Silver Coated Seeker or the Guider of Soulz. Banirith is the leader of the Seekers and seeks to rid the universe of Darkness of all worlds. However, he claims Kingdom Hearts is needed to do so, making an enemy to the heroes. He can use any type of magic in blast attacks or beams, and also can summon tentacles as well as other forms that come from his back to attack others. Voiced by Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius/ Doctor Octopus from Spiderman 2

_Yami's Dark Sweep_

*COUGH COUGH* Sorry about not updating, but I've become really sick in the past three days, leaving me stuck in bed for most of the time. Unfortunattly the next chapter won't be up in a week probably due to finals and other things I'm doing. I have however put a bunch of character info on my profile, so go ahead and check that out if you get a chance.

Also if any of you are avid Square fans, Square Enix Members has completely re-vamped their website by adding avatars, groups, and other cool stuff. Go ahead and check it out!

_Dezblade_


	37. 36: Train to the Tower

Chapter 36: Train to the Tower

Everyone soon caught up to Valdamar, his head already stuck underneath the train's rear like a mechanic looking under a car. "What the heck are you doing?" Neku said looking at Valdamar.

Valdamar scooted out for a moment. "You guys weren't lying when you said this needed to get fixed. There's about ten major problems with this thing. I've fixed six so far, and the last four shouldn't take too long."

"Just how quick did you get here?" Kairi said.

Vald shrugged, putting back on his fedora which sat next to his sword as he was underneath the train. "I run fast I guess. The rest of the stuff I need to do from the inside. Wait out here for a few minutes."

With that, he entered inside, but he left the door open. "Just who does this guy think he is? Harrison Ford?" Axel said. (1)

"We meet him because Neku found the train was wrecked. Pence had met him once so he was able to find him for us. Then the soulz showed up and you know the rest," Sora said.

"Well, you had better luck then us," Namine said.

The three former nobodies then explained their run in with Xidmun and the scary illusion that Roxas went through. "He's sounds dangerous," Goofy said.

"Ha," Yami said without emotion. "You think that he was dangerous. There are more powerful and dangerous things than him."

"How would you know?!" Donald said.

Yami was quiet for a second. "Let's see, facing Ansem when he tried to kill me, being lost in the darkness, facing enormous amounts of heartless. Pretty much sums it all," Yami said.

The group was quiet for a moment. "So you were stuck in the darkness?" Namine asked.

"For a while, yeah. I don't remember half what happened. But that's how the darkness works, isn't it? Offering you things you seek, only to be fake and strike down at you."

"Yeah, it kind of is," Riku said, remembering when he was first introduced to the darkness.

"But there is hope for me. That is why I search the Royal Scroll."

"Why's that?" Sora asked.

"The Royal Scroll mainly talks about something about some crossroad. That part I could be less concerned with. The part I need to know is a small portion that talks of the Crystal of Darkness."

Riku's eyebrows raised up. "The Crystal of Darkness? Isn't that supposed to bring pain and suffering to any world it is brought to?"

Yami nodded. "Correct. But also if one in the darkness touched the crystal, they will be removed from the darkness, but their powers will not be removed. The Royal Scroll gives an incantation that the person must say while in contact with the Crystal of Darkness. The darkness…still has a hold on me. A hold I don't really care for anymore. I want to rid of it. That is how I ran into your so-called friend named Riku when I stumbled upon part of the Scroll."

"You found a piece!" Kairi said.

Riku took it out of his pocket and gave it to Sora. "I told her she could work with us, considering we're both looking for similar goal. That sound good?" Riku asked.

"Sure, I'm Sora!"

Everyone introduced themselves till Axel was last. "Name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

Yami looked at him with an odd expression. "Uh…yeah?"

"Good, you're a quick learner, now spell it."

Yami looked really annoyed, then put a grin and walked up to Axel. "A-S-S"

"Hey wait a min-"

Before Axel could finish, Yami slapped him across the face and stepped into the train. "Great, it's always the crazy chicks," Axel murmured.

Vald then walked out of the train. "You think all of us can fit in this thing? It's kinda small."

"We don't have time! Yen Sid is in trouble!" King Mickey said as the rest of the croup ran in, knocking Vald to the inside of the train comically.

******

Banirith approached Xidmun. "So, how did it go?" The leader of the soulz asked.

"Nope. None of them are holding the Royal Scroll. If they didn't spread it out among themselves, that means one of them in particular is holding all the pieces they have so far," Xidmun explained.

Banirith scratched his chin. "I just think I know who. Sora. Next time we meet, we'll have to orange to take those. Everyone has been sent to the words I ordered to?"

"Everyone except Vexen. He went to that other world again."

Banirith sighed. "He's gone over his head. Once again, just like his nobody, he goes so far that he's going to get himself killed."

******

The train moved across the tracks over the ocean leaving the town as Neku told a story that happened his old town, Shibuya. "So let me get this straight…you died, then could live a second time by playing this death game?" Valdamar said.

Neku shrugged. "Pretty much in a nutshell."

Roxas shook his head. "It's odd. We've never met but I've always had the feeling that we know each other from before…" (2)

Yami stared out the window than now showed the cosmos, the train traveling across neon tracks in space. "Uh, what just happened?"

"Master Yen Sid's tower is in a place on the edge of this world," Goofy explained.

"So, Valdamar, what's your story?" Sora asked.

"Yeah. How did you know about the Seekers anyway?" Riku asked.

Valdamar was silent. "I missed my entire last year of school traveling with a friend. Halfway through the travel, my friend disappeared, mostly likely somewhere in the darkness. Trying to find my friend, I ran into the soulz and Banirith. He fooled me into thinking that he was good, but you already know what he's after. After realizing he was mad, I ran for it, not nearly making it. I returned to Twilight Town after a few months and thought I could relax. But, Banirith is now looking around for the Royal Scroll himself. If you're against him, count me in."

Sora shook his hand. "Good to have you on the team."

The train then came to a stop and the twelve stepped out of the train to look at Yen Sid's tower. Valdamar gave a low whistle. "Nice place."

"And it'll be all mine!" Sora could then see Pete running up to them. "You? Here? Again?" Sora said annoyed remembering when he first encountered Pete.

"Just what are you up to Pete?" King Mickey asked.

"Me? I came following you pipsqueaks! And I followed you here. And now, if you don't want yourselves to get hurt, you can just give me those weird papers you've got."

"There's no way you're getting the Royal Scroll!" Kairi said.

"This guy is against us?" Yami whispered to Valdamar.

"Don't judge a book by its cover Yami. This guy works for Maleficent," Roxas said standing behind them.

"Not surprising. Some old person who thinks they can order a bunch of lackeys but sits in a chair all day as people do their dirty work for them. Why is it the bad guys are so predictable?" Valdamar said.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong buster!" Pete said.

"It's Vald, not Buster!"

"Oh, I don't care about your name, except you're wrong. Why, Maleficent is here with me."

"What?!" Riku said.

"That's right. And any minute now she'll have reached Yen Sid and gotten that spell we need."

"Not on our watch!" Sora said summoning the Kingdom Key as the rest brought out their weapons. "Donald; Goofy; you think you can take care of him?" Sora asked.

"No problem Sora!" Goofy said charging towards Pete with his shield, Donald with his staff behind him.

The group ran off to let them fight. "This is gonna be easy!" Pete said.

Pete ran forward and threw his right fist into a punch which Goofy blocked with his shield. Pete brought back his hand and threw another punch at Donald, who ducked (3) and raised his staff. "THUNDER!"

Lightning bolts danced and hit Pete as he stumbled back. Goofy ran forward and smashed his shield into Pete as the large cat fell to the ground. "Ow ow ow ow ow!" Pete yelled standing up, and then cracked his knuckles. "So, you want to play rough, eh?"

Pete than created a small yellow ball of energy and bowled it towards Goofy. Goofy managed to step out of the way a second one headed towards Donald. Donald jumped over it and send a ball of fire back at Pete, who dodged it as well. "Well, take this on for size!" Pete said, and he became surrounded by a spherical shield. "Ha! Pete's invincible!"

Goofy then punched orb Pete was in with his shield, and Pete began to roll away, his screams somewhat muffled by the orb. Donald also used Aero to push Pete even further till he rolled into the train and Pete collapsed in the bottom of the train, birds flying around his head. "All aboard!" Goofy said closing the door.

The train whistled, and then chugged off down the tracks, the destination known of it's passenger. "We'd better catch up with Sora and the others," Goofy said.

"Let's go!" said Donald.

*****

The gang entered the tower and began to ascend the first staircase. "So who's this Maleficent that we're after?" Valdamar said.

"She's a witch that controls the heartless. What she's after this time is most likely Kingdom Hearts again. She also gets a lot of people from other worlds to help her," Sora said reaching the first door of the tower.

"So the lizard we fought back in Radiant Garden worked with her?" Neku said.

"Pretty much," Kairi said as they walked into the first room.

They all gasped as the saw Shadows, Fat Bandits and Bandits crowded in the small room. "Great. A welcoming party," Yami said.

"I'll stay behind and take care of these guys," Riku said. "You all go on ahead and get Maleficent."

"I'll help ya Riku," the King said as he and Riku took out their keyblades.

The group ran past the heartless as Riku and King Mickey began to attack the Fat Bandits seeing as being the harder targets in the room. After distracting one, Riku attacked a normal Bandit so Mickey could attack on of the fat ones. After taking it out, they had more room to move about as Riku and the King became back to back. "Remember that old trick we used back in Castle Oblivion?" Riku asked.

"You betcha!"

"Your majesty!"

"I'll help!"

Riku and the King hovered midair back to back as the King fired Pearl and Riku shot orbs of darkness. They spun around as their attacks hit the heartless. They stopped as the last heartless had been defeated, and they both ran for the door opposite from where they had entered as Donald and Goofy entered from the door they had come from. "Your majesty!" Donald said.

"Come on fellas! We have to catch up with everyone!" The King waved as the two ran forward.

*****

"Great. More," Roxas said as they entered the second room.

This one contained Neoshadows, Darkballs, and Wizards. "We got this one, no sweat," Axel said, referring to Roxas and Namine.

The rest of the group continued leaving the three Soulz against the Heartless. "Hey Roxas, you think I might be able to do that one with Namine here?" Axel asked.

Roxas looked at Axel wide eyed. "That? Here?"

"What?" Namine said.

"Here, let me explain…"Axel explained as the heartless approached them.

******

The five entered the third room and found more heartless. However, this one had five Brutes and Six Guards. Apparently Maleficent had left nothing to chance, leaving the more powerful Heartless in the last room. "Any bright ideas?" Neku asked.

"I'm going after Maleficent! You guys stay here!" Sora jumping to the side of a Guard as it tried to swing its sword at the Keyblader's head.

"Sora!" Kairi called out after Sora, but he already gotten through the last door, and heartless began to surround the four, leaving one option: to stand and fight.

Kairi and Yami summoned their keyblades as Valdamar cracked his neck and took out his sword in his left hand, whip in his right. Neku raised a few inches above the ground levitating, his hands raised in front of him. Two Guards swung their axe arms Yami, but she brought up her keyblade holding back their weapons with one hand as she held out her other hand, a powerful gust of wind knocking them back. Kairi then quickly advanced upon the heartless Yami knocked down and stabbed her keyblade through both of them, returning them to the darkness. Valdamar sparred with another Guard and quickly finished it off by slicing through it. Only then he noticed there were two Brutes , one on either side of him. One swung its claw arms at him as he let his feet drop underneath him so he fell on his back on the floor, the claws missing him. He quickly then rolled to the side to dodge the other Brutes as it slammed its clawed fists into the ground where Valdamar was previously. "That was too close," he said to himself as he got back up and attacked.

Vald swung his sword knocking back one of the Brute's claws as he swung his whip out catching the other Brute around its neck. Grimacing from the weight of the Brute, Vald tugged quickly and brought the Brute off the ground as it flew briefly knocking itself into the other Brute. The two heartless had stabbed each other with their claws by accident. "Bad side of having weapons for hands," Valdamar commented.

He then quickly ducked as he saw a Guard fly over his head. "HEY! Watch it! I'm fighting over here!"

"Sorry! Geez," Neku said as he pulled the heartless back through the air into the other wall with his psych abilities.

He dropped it to the ground as he dodged the swing from another Guard's sword. He held his palm out as small balls of light began to come from his hand and knock the heartless back several feet, the last blast sending the Guard ablaze to its end. Feeling worn down one of the remaining Brutes come towards him, Neku levitated a few more inches above the ground, a current of water flowing around him as healing magic slowly healed his wounds. The Brute raised its claws up and swiped them at Neku, but the claws bounced off the current flowing around Neku. Neku gave a small grin, but still concentrated on the psych ability that healed him and protected him at the same time.

He then saw a black keyblade stick through the Brute's midsection and pulled out. The Brute disappeared, leaving Yami standing there, looking at Neku. "Hurry up and help water boy," she said and turned to face another Brute.

Neku shook his head and dropped to the ground ending the healing. This girl hardly had any manners. He could already tell he wasn't going to like her. Kairi on the other side of the room shot light magic through the last Guard as the two remaining Brutes stood back to back. However, before anyone could attack, a pillar of flame broke from the floor beneath them, burned up the heartless, and continued to rise above them going through the ceiling of the room. The pillar of flames soon died out a circular hole was left in the floor and ceiling. Cautiously, Neku looked over the edge. "You have got to be kidding me."

Valdamar looked over and gave a low whistle. They could see the room below them a floor down, and from what they could tell, most of it was charred. "AXEL YOU IDIOT!" Roxas yelled from below.

"Look, I didn't expect it to blow up nearly the entire room!"

Namine then walked stumbled into the room where the four where, panting. "They…were going to blow them all up…I ran as fast as I could…"

"What kind of an idiot are you?" came the voice of Donald on the floor below.

"A stupid one," Yami said.

Axel murmured something under his breath that was not audible from a floor above, but Kairi didn't have to guess along what the lines he was thinking of. "Come on, we better catch up to Sora."

* * *

(1) Axel thinks of this because of Vald's fedora and whip. The whip was not originally part of Valdamar's character, but I thought it fit him after a bit of thought.

(2) The Japanese voice actor for Roxas also did the voice of Neku in the Japanese game _It's A Wonderful Life_

(3) Ha, a duck ducking, what a pun

_King Mickey's Inverse Burst_ Note: This is a limit from Re: Chain of Memories, Reverse/Rebirth

Sorry about not updating, I've been so busy it's nothing to laugh about. Next chapter in a few days to end this world.

_Dezblade_


	38. 37: Malificent's Nightmare

Chapter 37: Maleficent's Nightmare

Sora ran up the last flight of stairs and came to the final room of the tower. He tried to open the door, only to find it locked. He quickly stepped back and used the keyblade to unlock the door. The door clicked, and opened outwards. Sora ran into the room, keyblade at the ready. "Stop right where you are Maleficent!"

The witch looked somewhat surprised as she turned to see Sora. "The one with the keyblade, Sora. I didn't expect you to be here so soon."

She had her staff raised at Yen Sid, who was just staring at her, his face determined. "Why did you come here Sora?"

"To stop the heartless that came here. What other reasons do I need?" Sora said.

"I believe the wizard is referring to the fact that I wanted you to come here," the witch said, coming towards Sora.

It then hit Sora. It was a trap. It was planned from the beginning. "You knew about the heartless in the program in Ansem's computer. You knew we would follow it to here."

"Correct Sora. But once again you only realize far too late."

Then in a flash of white, Yen Sid disappeared. Maleficent looked slightly upset, but sighed. "I wished to take Yen Sid prisoner first, but you came earlier than expected. No matter. You and your friends will still share the same fate that was planned as soon as you entered the tower."

"And how many friends were you expecting to show up?!" came Riku's voice.

Sora turned around to see everyone run into the small room, weapons and the ready ,except Neku who's hands were giving off a blue sheen. "Bet you weren't expecting twelve, were you?" Sora said with a slight grin.

Maleficent laughed as she stepped back away from the group. "You think numbers matter. You see, you worry about quantity, while I," the witch said as she swept her arms upwards. "I go for quality!"

The entire tower began to shake uncontrollably as the witch disappeared green flames that left them in the tower room, the bricks shaking dust from the foundation. "What's going on?" Kairi asked.

"She's going to rip the place apart!" Axel exclaimed.

"And your explosion from earlier is just going to help her even more!" Namine said realizing what they had done.

"We had to have been out of here yesterday!" Valdamar said, running for the door.

Before he could run through, however, the bricks above the door fell down, creating a blockade, leaving the group stuck in the top of the tower. "Now what?" Roxas said.

"This way!" Sora said running towards the large window. "We have go out the window!"

"You're crazy! We'll fall and die!" Valdamar said.

Yami then swiped her keyblade in the air in front of her sending a strong gust of wind, breaking the mirror. "I'll guide us down."

She held her keyblade out in front of her as she closed her eyes, the castle shaking even more. The stone floor below them began to crack, everyone stepping closer together closer to Yami, trying to be stepping on the cracks. The floor then cracked all the way through, and the group began to fall, but suddenly stopped. Yami concentrated harder now, wind billowing her long hair up causing her hair to stand on edge. Slowly, the winds strength began to life the bricks and rocks the group stood on through the broken window to outside. Slowly, they began to lower until they were five feet above the ground, when Yami collapses. The wind died out immediately, causing everyone to fall. Thankfully, no one was hurt, except Yami who sat up as the King and Donald rushed over to her. "Are you alright?" the King asked.

"I've just…never moved that much weight before. It kind of wore me out," said, slowly standing up.

As soon as she stood up, however, she fell back to the ground, dropping her keyblade in the grass, screaming. "Yami?" Donald asked.

"Darkness…so…strong…" Yami's eyes went wide as she looked around. "It's here."

A extremely strong scent of darkness then hit Riku's senses as he stumbled for a second, but held his ground. "She's right. The Nightmare is near."

The others nervously readied themselves and looked around as Donald cast Curagra on Yami as she stood up slowly, Dark Whisper in hand. The ground began to shake even more with the strength of an enormous earthquake. If it weren't the magic placed on the tower by Yen Sid, it would have crumbled instantly. Then as the ground shook, a black shadow began to emerge from behind the tower. Sora faced towards the growing shadow, but gasped and took one step back.

The Nightmare was nothing short of a nightmare. It straightened out its back so it now stood taller than the tower, a dark mane of hair falling over its dark face protecting five yellow eyes on its head. It had six muscular arms, the three on the right holding onto the tower, the other three swaying in the air. It stood on two massive legs, the feet at the bottom were also concealed by the tower. It reminded Sora of the Darkside he fought so long ago, but even worse. But he could only guess that its head was its weak point as well. "We have to attack its head or arms!" Sora yelled to the others over the shaking ground.

"And how do you suppose we get up there?" Axel said.

"With my help."

The group turned to see Yen Sid behind them. "Master Yen Sid," Mickey said. "You will fight with us?"

The old wizard shook his head. "No. But I can help you take down this heartless. Afterwards, I shall explain to you what I know of what has happened."

Yen Sid waved his hand around the group, and raised both his hands up in the air. Slowly, the group began to rise, but they were still standing on what they thought was solid ground. Soon, they stood level with the top half of the Nightmare as a magical field appeared beneath them, creating a new ground for them to fight the massive heartless. The Nightmare let go of the tower and stared at the twelve, it hair mangled guarding most of its eyes. It brought up its highest left and right arm, and slammed them down on the barrier Yen Sid had created, the heroes jumping out of the way of the attack. "GO!" Sora yelled.

The group ran towards the fists, Neku reaching the right fist first. He threw energy blasts at the fist, but nothing seemed to happen. "Come on, do something!" he said out loud as he fired more blasts at the fist.

The hand opened and tried to grab him, but he quickly jumped out of the way using his psych abilities to jump far away. Riku then jumped at the right fist and swung Road to Dawn at it, but the blade quickly bounced off the fist. "Huh?" he said, striking it again and again.

Yami hit the left fist with her keyblade. "Riku!" she shouted. "This is an extreme darkness. I don't know if we can harm it."

"I don't walk the path of darkness! I should be able to hurt this thing!" Riku said, still trying to hurt the Nightmare.

Kairi then used Aurora on the left fist, and the two fists retreated from the barrier they stood on. "The light seems to do well on it!" Kairi said.

The monstrous heartless then readied its middle arms and held them palm out as orbs of darkness appeared in its fists. Pure beams of darkness then began to burst from its hands trying to hit the group. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Axel yelled running from one of the beams of darkness.

Roxas then jumped in midair and shot two orange light blasts, one from each of his keyblades and hit the beams of darkness, but it seemed to have no effect. "Drat!" Roxas said jumping out of the way of one of the beams.

Valdamar meanwhile was running straight towards the Nightmare's midsection, his sword in his sheath and his whip hanging from his belt. "What are you doing?!" Goofy said running after him.

Namine shot a beam of aurora light back at the Nightmare, but it didn't even flinch from the attack. However, the beams died out as it put its arms down next to its other four arms. Goofy and Valdamar stood on the barrier near the Nightmare as they could feel the power of the darkness surrounding the massive heartless. "Vald, what are you doing?" Goofy said half hiding behind his shield, slightly afraid of the monster in front of them.

"You see Goofy," Valdamar said shifting through a small backpack he had taken off of the train. "In my spare time I like making gadgets. Little do-hickies that come in handy every once in a while. While fixing the train, I found a lot of materials that were jammed into the train to break it in the first place. Fool around with them a little bit, and I can create a little something that can help us."

Valdamar then produced a small object that was put together with several pieces of small metal pipes and three electric cords that swarmed over the mass of pipes. "What is that?"

"Well, it's a crude bomb to be exact," Valdamar remarked. "It's not much to do any real damage. More of a distraction. "What we need to do is figure out a way to launch it up to its face so we can distract it then come up with a way to attack it good or find it's weak spot. You think you can get it up there Goofy?"

"No, I don't think so, I can launch someone with my shield, but if I hit that I might make it go off."

Valdamar got a grin. "Say, I've got an idea."

*****

The Nightmare brought its lowest arms and slashed them horizontally across the barrier Sora stood on. The arms being thicker than a building made it impossible to evade, so Sora brought up the Kingdom Key up in defense in a block. The arm hit the keyblade and Sora sending him back several feet. He got up with no injuries as he saw Namine, Kairi, the King, and Riku get up in a similar manner. "You guys alright?" Sora asked.

"Sora! I thought you said the arms were the weak point," Riku said shaking the cobwebs out of his head.

"This is must more powerful darkness then we imagined. We're going to have to pull out all the stops when we find its weak point," Mickey said.

Neku then zoomed over at a fast speed. "Uh, guys? What exactly are they doing over there?" Neku asked.

Sora looked to see Valdamar and Goofy standing right near the Nightmare, preparing to attack. But the Nightmare looked down and noticed them. "It sees them! Come on, we have to distract it!" Sora shouted.

Kairi and Namine both fired beams of light at some of its arms as his majesty sent Pearl magic at another arm. The Nightmare looked up, and brought up all six of its arms as dark orbs appeared in each palm. "Oh crap," Axel said, knowing that dodging six beams of darkness would be near impossible.

Just then Valdamar started running towards Goofy, the explosive cradled in his arms. "Goofy!"

"Up ya go!"

Valdamar ran at full speed at Goofy, who had his shield lowered at an odd angle. Valdamar then jumped and landed both of his feet on Goofy's shield. With the durability of a spring, Goofy's arm lowered Valdamar on the shield absorbing all the energy form his jump, and bounced him up in the air even higher. Valdamar flew up in the air, his fedora almost falling off from the air rushing past him. He began to slowly slow his accent as he neared the Nightmare's head, a hideous thing. Five, solid, yellow eyes stared at him through a tangle of dark strands as he stopped rising up as he threw out the object.

Normally, the explosive would have not gotten anywhere near the Nightmare from distance where Valdamar was launched, but Valdamar already had a solution for that. He swung his whip out towards the Nightmare, the whip loosely tied around the explosive. The teenager quickly jerked on the whip, loosening its grip on the explosive, sending it through the air at the Nightmare's face. Valdamar began to fall back towards the barrier as the explosive went off, the blast radiating through the air. The Nightmare turned away from the explosion, the brightness too close to its eyes as it instinctively brought its arms in front of itself to shield itself from the light. The dark orbs in its palms now faced up in the air in random directions as the beams fired out into the sky, none of them coming close within range of the heroes.

Valdamar then realized something as he fell, he whip dragging in the air behind him. What about landing without killing himself? Before he could react, he descent began to slow down, a wind flying past his face, sending his fedora off into the air revealing his untidy brown hair. "My hat!"

He slowly landed to the ground as he watch his fedora glide through the air until caught onto the end of a dark keyblade. "That makes the slate clean now," Yami said, tossing the hat back at Valdamar.

Valdamar caught the fedora with ease, and put it back on his head. Neku walked over. "Clean slate?"

"I once saved her behind a while ago. She just returned the favor. Now come on, this thing ain't dead yet."

The Nightmare swung its arms wildly as the light began to die out, the darkness beams disappearing. Sora looked at the Nightmare to see the dark strands covering the Nightmare's eyes had been blown back, its eyes looking more orange then yellow. Slowly, however, the eyes began to fade back into a yellow. "It's eyes…" Sora thought. "That's its weakness."

"That's gonna be hard to get to Sora," Donald said, reading his staff.

Goofy ran over, and Sora got an idea. "Well, we'll just have to meet to the challenge. You guys up for Final?"

"You betcha Sora!" Goofy said standing next to Sora, Donald to his other side.

"FINAL DRIVE!" Sora yelled, a hand on both of his friends.

A white light engulfed the three and slowly faded away leaving Sora floating above the ground, his clothes silver and white, the Kingdom Key and Ultima Weapon (The one from KHII) floating telepathically behind him. "This ends now!" Sora exclaimed as he began to fly up towards the Nightmare.

Sora soared through the sky as he neared the Nightmare. It moved its massive arms to swat Sora away like a fly, but Sora flew around dodging the swings. He soon reached near the Nightmare's face. He brought his two hands forward commanding the two keyblades to strike out at the heartless' eyes. The two keyblades swung through the air, invisible hands hammering them away at the creatures eyes. The Nightmare flinched from the pain each blow brought. They had finally found the weak point. Sora swung even more, inflicting more damage to its eyes. Then, the two eyes Sora were attacking started to slowly become orange, then to a deep shade of red. The eyes then started to become smaller until they didn't exist anymore, leaving only three. However, this had made the Nightmare even more mad as it swung all six arms at Sora. Sora quickly did a large loop backwards in the air taking his keyblades with hims to avoid the arms. He turned around as the Nightmare began to grow orbs of darkness in its hands, these much larger than. The Nightmare than began to lob the balls of darkness after Sora. Sora weaved back and forth avoiding the darkness as he headed for the barrier where the others stood, trying to attack the heartless' eyes from far away with magic.

No later than Sora touched the ground did the Drive end, separating him, Donald, and Goofy. They were all slightly tired, but Kairi and Namine healed them. "Are you alright?" Kairi asked.

"Good. Listen, we have to take out its other eyes that are left," Sora said. "That should be the way to beat it."

"I can't take everyone up there with wind," Yami said. "Perhaps myself and maybe someone else, but it couldn't be long. That is without risking the fall from the height, perhaps even further."

"Which one of us could cause the most damage?" Riku asked.

"We need the power of light to attack it the most," Roxas said.

Namine turned to Kairi. "Do you feel ready to do it?" she asked.

Kairi shook her head. "I haven't learned how to do it yet. You said it would come at the right time. It just hasn't happened yet."

Sora looked around, and noticed the Nightmare preparing the strike again. He looked at King Mickey and thought of his Pearl Magic. "Your Majesty, you should go," Sora said. "You're lighter than the rest of us and you can use your own light magic. You should go with Yami."

King Mickey shook his head. "That won't work. Welp, you see, I probably would only have enough time to attack one of its eyes. Then it will still have two."

The Nightmare then began to rise its six arms in fists, and brought them down towards the group. "MOVE!" Neku shouted as the group moved in opposite directions.

The fists shook the barrier like an earthquake, nearly everyone falling to the ground. Sora turned around to see Kairi on the ground, slowly getting to her feet. Sora felt something he usually hardly felt: anger. The Nightmare had hurt Kairi, that was the final straw. He ran over to where Yami and King Mickey stood. "Your majesty, if I may?" Sora asked.

Mickey hesitated at what Sora was asking, but his face showed he realized. "You do it Sora!"

Sora then put a hand on the King. "DRIVE!"

A blinding light absorbed the two, and died out to only leave Sora, with three keyblades! Ultima Weapon was in his hands, the Kingdom Key and the King's keyblade floating telepathically above him. His drive clothes had become gold and red, Mickey's royal seal designed across Sora's pants and arms. A small crown was also on Sora's head that circled around his biggest spike in his hair. _Royal Form, amazing,_ Sora heard Mickey say in his head. "Yami! Take me up!" Sora commanded.

She didn't need to be told twice. Yami spread her arms, a small twister rising beneath them. They began to rise quickly into the air towards the Nightmare. The six arms swung around at them, but the Kingdom Key and Mickey's keyblade swung away from side with a mind of their own, striking the arms back away from the two as they arose. They soon met face to face with the Nightmare, Yami slightly trembling from the force of the darkness. The three keyblades surrounded Sora in the air, positioning themselves so each one aimed at an eye of the Nightmare. "Your reign of terror has ended!" Sora shouted. "PEARL TRINITY!"

The three keyblades swung each other and met at their points, each tip glowing white. The light became so strong that the Nightmare's eyes went straight to red, Yami shielding her eyes form the light as well. Sora stared straight at the light as it grew stronger, and then grabbed Ultima Weapon by its hilt and brought it out of the trinity. The other two keyblade swung back to their original positions and fired light into the nightmare's eyes. Ultima Weapon in Sora's hands shot at the third eye, the Pearl magic shooting straight through it. The light shone through the heartless, flying through the head and shooting out from the other end.

The Pearl Trinity began to become weaker fast as the Pearl magic shooting from the keyblades came to a stop. Sora breathed heavily, drained of energy as he lowered the Ultima Weapon while being supported in midair by Yami's twister. But then Sora noticed something. The smallest amount of a red circle was on the Nightmare's face. It wasn't defeated yet. A red laser then blasted from the eye hit Sora in the chest as he was knocked backwards, the beam continuing to hurt him and causing him to twitch in pain. It then stopped. Sora opened his eyes to see Yami had jumped from her position, Dark Whisper stabbed in the small red dot. "Be gone," she said.

The red dot disappeared, and the nightmare faded away, a hundred hearts floating up from the area the heartless used to occupy. Yami and Sora began to fall, the drive ending at one point separating Sora and the King, but Sora kept Ultima Weapon with him rather than the Kingdom Key. They reached the barrier and fell down to the barrier, all three exhausted. "That…was…strong," Mickey said between gasps. "You've become much stronger Sora."

"Couldn't have done it without you, your majesty," Sora said as he turned to Yami. "But I think we should both thank Yami. She stopped it in the end."

Yami shrugged slightly. "I couldn't just watch."

Slowly, Sora felt the barrier begin to move again. Thankfully, it was just lowering back to the ground where Yen Sid stood as he brought them all down back to safety. Other than being exhausted and a few flesh wounds, everyone was fine. Sora ran over to Kairi after they reached solid, real ground. "Are you alright? After the Nightmare banged the barrier I thought you were seriously hurt."

"Me? Sora, I'm fine. You're the one who should be taking it easy. You almost got yourself killed up there!" Kairi said.

"I'm fine," Sora said, but he then fell backwards onto his back, causing Kairi to gasp. Sora jut chuckled. "Kairi, I'm just relaxing on my back. Jeez, did you think I just died there?"

Putting a small smirk on and kicked Sora in the shoulder playfully. "Lazy bum."

Yen Sid walked over to the group. "Thank you for doing that. Maleficent meant that powerful to be a great trap for all of you. However, your teamwork has saved you all. However, one can never be too cautious. However, there is a greater threat than Maleficent."

"The Seekers," Valdamar said.

Yen Sid nodded as Sora sat up, paying attention. "Correct. However, soulz are far different than anything you have faced Sora. You have been on two great quests before, Donald and Goofy along with you. Your friends Riku and Kairi have been there too. But you others who stand before me: Axel, Roxas, Namine, Neku, Valdamar, and Yami. You have never been on such a journey. Yet I ask you to lend a hand to the these brave warriors in their quest to stop the Seekers, for if they are not…I fear there will be nothing left of the universe. Find the pieces of the Royal Scroll, un-code its riddle with the Crossroads, and discover the truth behind the Seeker's mission. The King informed me of your current quest and during your runs, I have been able to track the location of most of the other Royal Scroll pieces."

"Seriously?!" Riku said.

Yen Sid nodded, and clapped his hands. Then behind them, the groups three Gummi ships appeared behind them. "I have already put in the coordinates of the worlds in your Gummi ships. However, to do this in the fastest manner possible. You must split into groups to find the Royal Scroll before anyone else does. Go, heroes of the Crossroad and of other paths. Your journey awaits you."

Yen Sid then disappeared in another white wisps, leaving the twelve alone outside his castle. After a small discussion, they split into three groups. Sora, Kairi, Valdamar and Neku went together on the first ship headed for an island on one world. Roxas, Naime, King Mickey, and Donald got on the second ship and headed for a familiar desert. Riku, Yami, Axel, and Goofy boarded the last ship and headed for a port next to the sea.

* * *

_Goofy's Shield Bumper_

**Royal Form-** Sora did this drive with King Mickey to finish the Nightmare. In this Drive Sora has two of his keyblades and the King's keyblade. It's main power is using Pearl magic and heals Sora over time. In this form, Sora can also use the powerful Pearl Trinity from the three keyblades.

Alright, off to new worlds! However, I have some bad news. I will be going on Spring Break Vacation, so I will be gone for a week. No updates until I get back, sorry guys.  I hope to write more ASAP.

_Dezblade_


	39. 38: Dogfight

Chapter 38: Dogfight

Sora and Neku sat in the cockpit of the Gummi Ship flying to the next world. At the beginning of their journey, there were some heartless waiting for them in the cosmos, but after that it was smooth flying. Kairi was taking a shower in the bathroom next to her bedroom on the ship while Valdamar lay sleeping on a cot that was set up Sora's room because there were only three bedrooms on the Gummi ship. "So let me get this straight," Neku said. "We're all going to different worlds to get scrap pieces of paper that from a really long time ago to stop these Seekers from destroying the universe as we know it."

"Pretty much," Sora said.

"And so the fate of the universe rests on the shoulders of six teens, three soulz, and three animals that can speak and fight," Neku added. "Kingdom Hearts sure does have a sense of humor."

Sora gave a small laugh. He then saw the world Yen Sid had given them coordinates for straight ahead. "Well, here we are. Prepare to enter the atmosphere."

The Gummi Ship buckled slightly as it entered the world's atmosphere, fire spreading around the edges of it. Neku held tightly onto his seat as he turned up the volume on his speakers to drain out the noise of them entering the atmosphere. Soon, they were through, and the noise died down. "You better get Kairi and Vald. Well be landing soon."

"Wait, I got an idea," Neku said grabbing a small hand held speaker device. "Isn't this a PA system?"

Sora shrugged. Neku held down a button, and soon his voice was heard across the Gummi Ship. "WAKE UP PEOPLE!"

After Neku yelling, Sora could hear Kairi scream, and a large bang from his room. Valdamar then walked out into the cockpit rubbing a now sore spot on his head. "You woke me up, and I sprung up to have my head hit a shelf."

"Opps, sorry," Neku said, slowly backing away from Valdamar who looked ready to go for his whip.

Kairi then rushed in, her hair still dripping wet, but she was fully dressed. "YOU IDIOT! You made me break the hair drier!"

Sora laughed slightly, but stopped as soon as Kairi gave him a small glare. Neku was just about to say something more in his defense when a large beeping noise went off from the control panel. Everyone turned to it as Sora looked at the radar. "HOLD ON!" he yelled and quickly veered off the Gummi Ship to the left.

The other three held right onto something in the cockpit so they didn't fly into one of the walls. Through the windshield, they could see a rocket zooming off to their right. "Did someone fire a rocket at us?" Valdamar said, sitting down at a seat, looking at the control panel himself.

"I'm not sure, I mean, we just got here. How could we already have enemies?" Neku asked.

"Either it's someone with Maleficent who told them about us, or the Seekers got their hands on some weapons," Kairi.

"Hey!" Sora said pointing at the radar. "There's another type of spacecraft or aircraft flying ahead of our position. Perhaps they fired it at us."

Valdamar shook his head. "It couldn't have been. That was a land based missile. Someone targeted us from the ground."

Sora then looked at the radar again. "Oh crud," he said under his breath.

Neku looked at the radar over Sora's shoulder. "Um, are those Heartless?"

The radar showed several dark spots coming into the radar heading for both the Gummi Ship and the other craft. One of the dots got even closer to the Gummi Ship as Sora got out of his seat. "Kairi! You drive! Valdamar, come this way!"

The teenager ran after Sora, tipping his fedora in good luck to Kairi and Neku. Kairi sat in the pilot chair as Neku sat in the co-pilot chair. "What exactly is going on?" Neku asked.

Kairi then veered off to the right avoiding a black streak. The two looked outside in horror. "That is not good," Kairi said.

The blue sky and white clouds were now filled with several black orbs with red eyes that weaved back and forth across the skies. Kairi quick used the computer on the Gummi Ship to identify the heartless. "_Identified,"_ the computer spoke. "_Species: Heartless. Type: Black Bullet. Summary: A heartless that is constantly on the move through the air seeking out its targets. This heartless has only thing in mind, and that is to destroy its target, no matter how many of them it takes. Though small and shaped like small ammunition, these heartless explode upon contact with anything."_

Another Black Bullet whizzed past the Gummi Ship and exploded, causing the ship to rock slightly. Kairi gripped onto the controls, firing a few lasers at some of the heartless. They exploded upon being hit. "Neku, are you good at shooting?" Kairi asked.

"I've never been behind the controls of anything."

"Then just watch the radar for me. Hopefully Sora and Valdamar can get the rest."

"Where did they go?"

"They went to use the turrets."

*****

A small dome with laser barrels came out from the top of the Gummi Ship, another one from underneath. Valdamar sat behind the controls on the one at the top, Sora at the one below. "So turn left and right with the turret, hold down the corresponding turret on the joystick looking things. Am I right so far?" Valdamar asked to Sora down a ladder that separated the two of them.

"You got it!" Sora said giving a quick thumbs up as he put on a headset, and then grabbed onto the two joysticks. "Let's see what these can do."

Sora saw a Black Bullet wiz by him, exploding on the ship. It shook violently as Sora held onto his seat. "Hey Kairi! Be more careful driving there, will ya?" Sora said into the headset.

"I'm sorry. There's just so many out here," Sora heard Kairi from the other side of the headset. "And most of them are attacking the other craft anyways. So far whoever's flying that is experienced. Lots of roll maneuvers and flares that throw some off of its trail. But I don't know it it'll last that long. We better help them out."

"Just don't drive into any of those heartless and we'll be good," Valdamar said now also on his own headset.

Valdamar turned around, holding his thumbs and index fingers on all four buttons, firing all four turrets. He moved as he shot, exploding a number of the heartless. Sora didn't fire as much, only firing in short bursts at ones that appeared close to the ship. Sora then saw a large group clumping together, all flying straight for the ship. Quickly, Sora fired a few lasers at the large group. Two exploding, creating a domino effect of several of the heartless to be blown to smithereens. "I got them! Yes!" Sora yelled triumphantly.

"Don't get cocky kid!" Valdamar yelled down the ladder that separated the two. "There's still a lot more to go!"

"Stop calling me kid! It's Sora!" the keyblade master yelled back up.

"I'm 18, you're 15. I can call you a kid cause I'm legal!" Vald shouted back down.

"I'm almost 16!"

"Still off by two years!"

"Both of you shut up and shoot!" Kairi yelled over the headsets.

"Yes ma'am!" Sora and Valdamar said at the same time and continued to fire at the heartless.

After two minutes of flying around, dodging heartless and blowing them up, the lasers from the turrets died out. "What happened?" Valdamar said.

"The lasers can't run forever otherwise they would overheat and cause the ship to shut down from overpowering it," Sora said climbing back up the ladder. "It's programmed so when it gets to one point, it shuts down they can cool down and recharge."

"HANG ON TO SOMETHING!" Neku's voice yelled over the PA system.

Sora and Valdamar both put death grips on the ladder as the ship began to spin a continuous barrel roll. After about four spins, the ship returned to normal flight patterns as Sora and Valdamar moved again and returned to the main hall of the Gummi Ship. They ran down the hall and rejoined Kairi and Neku in the cockpit. "What in the name of Ifrit is going on?" Vald asked.

"The Black bullets are now coming in a large group. If one hits us, they'll all explode and bring us down in a crash landing!" Kairi said steering the controls. "You'd better grab a seat; it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Sora and Valdamar quickly strapped themselves in two other seats as Kairi swung wide to the right, avoiding the cloud of heartless as shown on the radar. Sora could now see the other craft in front of them through the windshield. It looked like some type of fancy jet plane, probably a private one. It had no weapons, but with a number of flares and dodging maneuvers, it had done well. Sora looked at the radar to see two clumps of the heartless, each one following one of the flying vehicles. "We have to get in contact with them if we want to shake these heartless off," Sora said.

"How?" Neku asked.

Valdamar leaned forward, one hand pressing his headset to his noggin, the other one fooling around with some of the knobs that controlled communications. "Let me see if I can get in contact with them."

Within a few minutes, he began to hear something. "India Golf niner-niner to Island tower. Requesting immediate backup. Skies full of bogies! Island tower, do you read me?!" came a distressed female voice over the radio.

"Hello?" Valdamar asked, wondering if the pilot could hear him.

"India Golf niner-niner to Island tower. Is that you Island tower? Over."

"Uh…" Valdamar thought for a second, trying to remember how pilots communicated. "Negative. This is…Keyblade One right behind you. About…two hundred forty five degrees from your position. Requesting a coordinated flight pattern to shake off heartless. Over."

Sora gave Valdamar a questioning look. "Keyblade One?"

Vald shrugged. "First thing that came to mind."

The other pilot's voice came back in. "What were you having in mind, Keyblade One? Over."

"Vald, tell her to cut quickly to the left, and we'll go to the right. That way the heartless should collide and take out each other," Sora explained to Valdamar.

Vald then replied everything Sora said to the other pilot. "Affirmative Keyblade One. Initiate sequence in twenty seconds."

The three guys hung tightly in their seats as Kairi held onto the steering wheel with a death grip. Sora, sitting behind her, calmly put a hand on her shoulder, trying to ease her nerves. 17…18…19…20. "GO!" Valdamar shouted.

Kairi lunged the Gummi Ship to the right as the jet veered off to the left. Neku watched the radar as he saw the two black masses of heartless meet, and then disappear from the radar screen. "Yes! We did it!"

Kairi relaxed on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. "I'm done for the day I think."

Sora patted Kairi on the shoulder. "You did good. Where did you learn to drive so good?"

Kairi gave a small grin. "Well, while you and Riku were gone so long, I decided to get a pilot's license."

"That would explain a lot," Neku said.

"Guys, put the celebration on hold. We've got more problems," Valdamar said.

All four turned to look at the radar, and saw four missiles on the radar headed for both aircrafts. "Mayday, mayday! India Golf niner-niner is buddy-spiked! Abort! Abort! There are children aboard, say again, there are children aboard!" yelled the other pilot in the radio, obviously trying to contact the Island tower from earlier. "Disengage! I repeat, disengage!"

"Children?!" Kairi said.

"Hurry, those missiles are going to hit us dead on!" Valdamar said.

"We can't fire back at them! The lasers haven't charged back up yet!" Sora said.

"Kairi!" Neku yelled.

Kairi quickly turned the wheel, sending the Gummi Ship into another barrel roll. She had dodged the missiles, but they must have been guided because they turned around and headed back for the ship! A similar situation was happening with the jet. "Indian golf!" Valdamar yelled into the radio. "We are out of ammunition! Repeat, out of ammunition. Do you have any course of action? Over."

"Vi! You have to put a shield around this now!" came the pilot's voice, somewhat muffled.

"What? Vi?" Sora said.

"Must be someone else on the other plane," Kairi said, looking nervously back and forth from the radar and the windshield.

The missiles came in closer to both ships. The weapons were now only feet away. "Abort, abort, abort!" the other pilot yelled frantically into the radio.

"Does this thing have escape pods or anything?" Valdamar asked quickly.

"Three. Hurry up!" Sora yelled getting up from his seat.

Kairi undid her safety harness, but kept steering the ship standing as Neku and Valdamar ran for the area Sora pointed too. "Kairi! Come on!" Sora yelled.

Kairi then ran towards Sora as she heard more frantic cries of help from the other pilot. They both ran down the hall, but the missiles had already hit the ship. Explosions sounded throwing Kairi where she stood as she was flown through the air, thankfully into one of the escape pods. But she hit her head on the way in, and instantly lost consciousness.

*****

When the missiles stuck the Gummi Ship, one escape pod had already been deployed, another ready to deploy. The second one took off right after the explosion and flew off away from the explosion. Hardly a second later, the private jet exploded as well. The Gummi Ship still on fire began to fly downwards, surprisingly still intact, for the most part. The first escape pod, was not so lucky, as part of its wing was hit by the explosion, causing it to spin. Quickly, the only passenger in that one used an escape hatch and jumped out before it was enveloped in flames. Neku fell from the wreckage, screaming as he fell downwards. He turned around several times in the air as he could see the ocean below him.

He fell into the water on his side. It hurt from the fall greatly, but he gritted his teeth and swam back up to the surface. He broke out of the water and gasped for air. He spun around looking in all directions. When he looked behind him, he saw the most bizarre sight. There was a giant parachute falling from the blazing jet. The parachute was mainly red, the strings black holding onto two small people. Wait, no, those were kids! And at the top of the parachute. Was that a…person's head?! He could then a voice call out from the parachute. "Brace yourselves!"

The kids and the parachute landed in the water, and parachute shrank down to leave a woman in a red suit that was similar to the parachute. It was only then Neku realized that she WAS the parachute. He swam over towards the other survivors, when he looked up and gasped. The jet continued to fall from the sky, heading right towards them! Kicking his legs to keep himself above the surface, Neku raised one of his hands out. He then used his psych power to telekinetically push the jet away from them, keeping them safe from being killed.

The woman holding the two kids as she kicked her feet stared at Neku. "You…you did that?"

Neku only slightly nodded as he swam over. Both of the kids were freaking out. "Oh my gosh! What are we going to do?!" the girl said over and over quickly.

"We're dead! We survived but we're dead!" the young boy cried out as if all hope was lost.

"Stop it!" the woman yelled at the two kids, who Neku guessed was the mother considering they wore similar suits that she wore. "We are not gonna die! Now both of you will get a grip. Or so help me I will ground you for a month! Understand?"

The two kids looked back at each other nervously, now quiet. _Yep,_ Neku thought. _Definitely siblings and a mother._

Neku finally reached them and gasped trying to catch his breath. "You all alright?"

"Where did you come from?" the boy with blonde hair asked.

"You were on the other ship, weren't you?" the girl with long purple hair asked.

Neku nodded. "Yeah. Escape pod kinda got hit on the way out."

"How many others on board?" the woman asked.

"Three. I think they safely made it out," Neku said, but he doubted what he said himself.

The woman then pointed at smoke in the sky. "Those were short-range missiles. Land based. That way is our best shot."

"You want to go towards the people that tried to kill us?" the boy asked.

"If it means land, yes."

"Do you expect us to swim there?" the girl asked.

"I expect you to trust me," the woman said, then turning to Neku. "It seems you should come with us. Let's hurry."

Neku nodded, but was freaked out the woman's body changed shape till it looked like a small boat. In a matter of a minute, Neku and the girl sat on the mother's back, the young boy sat in the back kicking inhumanly fast, making the four seem like two riding in a small motorboat. Along the way, the mother talked to Neku explaining who they were. Their names were Helen, Violet, and "Dash". They were people with super powers, or otherwise known as Supers. Helen was once known as the super heroine Elastigirl. But superheroes had been outlawed long ago, so the family was underground. Then Helen's husband, Bob once known as Mr. Incredible, disappeared several times. A GPS locator tracked him to this island in the ocean where they were headed. That was when they encountered the heartless and met with Neku. "And what about you?" Helen asked.

"I'm Neku. I came with friends here. We're looking for something really important, and someone told us that it was here. That's all I really know."

Neku also learned about their powers. Helen could stretch and bend almost into any shape. Violet could become invisible, and could create small force fields, but she was still working on it. Dash, as according to the name, could run extremely fast. Along the way, Neku also tried to describe his "powers" with psych magic as best as he could as they went further across the ocean. Within an hour or two, they all dragged up onto shore, Helen and Dash the most exhausted. They lay down on the beach as Neku and Violet started to make a camp in a cave not far off.

Soon, they were all drying off in front of a well built fire, Helen going through a pocket in the suit. "Kids," she said, "I think your father's in trouble."

"If you haven't noticed mom, we're not doing so hot either," Violet said.

"I'm going to look for him. And that means you're in charge until I come back Neku," she said standing up.

"What?!" Neku and Dash said at the same time.

Helen then took out small black masks, putting one on over her eyes. She then handed one to each Violet and Dash, a lighter black almost purple one to Neku. "Put these on. Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it. And if anything goes wrong, use your powers."

"But you never said to-" Violet said, but was cut off.

"I know what I said! Remember the bad guys on those shows you used to watch on Saturday mornings? Well, these guys are not like those guys. They won't exercise restraint because you're children. They will kill you if they get the chance. Do not give them that chance. Neku, can you watch them and do whatever you can?"

Neku nodded as he looked at the mask in his hand. "Sure. Just look out for my friends while you're at it."

"I'm counting on you. Be strong. Dash, if anything goes wrong, I want you to run as fast as you can."

"As fast as I can?!" Dash exclaimed.

"As fast as you can. Stay hidden. Keep each other safe. I'll be back by morning," she said as began to leave the cave.

Violet quick ran after her, and Neku followed slightly to make sure she didn't run off. But he heard her talking to Helen, or Mrs. Incredible now. Neku went back to the fire as sat next to Dash, who already put on the mask, keeping his identity safe. "This is cool looking!" the boy said.

Neku looked at the mask in his hand, then slowly put it on. He then looked at a small pool of water in the cave at his reflection. The slightly purple mask nearly fit with his jacket, making his clothes still damp fit with his disguises. "We need to come with a name for you," Dash said scratching his chin.

"Huh?" Neku said.

"Well every Super has a name, don't they? I'm Dash, Violet is Vi, mom was Elastigirl. So what do we call you? Show me what you can do!"

Neku then picked up a large branch that was dry on one end particularly. Neku then used his psych powers to create a small burst of fire to come from his hand to light the end of the stick on fire, making it into a torch. "Cool!" Dash said. "That was just like magic! Hey, I know, that's it! We'll call you 'Magician'! How's that sound?!"

Neku, or rather Magician, laughed. "Sure Dash, whatever."

Dash then took the torch and explored further down the cave. Violet then came back, her mask on as well. She then began practicing making a force field around the fire holding it within an area. Another time holding in smoke. "I can kind of do that, but only around myself," Neku said.

"Well, yeah. I can apply it to other things and places as well, but they're kind of small and don't work that well."

"Hey, don't give up. There's always room for improvement."

"WHOA!" came an echoed voice from deeper in the cave to which the two masked teenagers jumped at.

"That's defiantly not good," said the purple masked teen.

"Vi! Vi!" came Dash's yells as he zipped towards them as the cave began to glow and become hotter.

"What did you do?" Violet asked as Dash grabbed his sister's hand and began to pull her out of the cave, Magician running close behind.

The three ran out of the cave and ran up a hill nearby when a pillar of flame erupted from the cave spraying across the beach. The three looked in awe, and then heard more fire jets as they turned around up into the air to see the outline of a rocket lifting off into the night sky. "What is going on here?" Neku thought out loud.

* * *

Helen Parr/Mrs. Incredible- Superhuman with the ability to stretch and change into several shapes. She came to the island in search of her husband, also a Super, while her two of her children got on the jet plane in secret as well. She first appeared in _The Incredibles _in 2004.

Violet Parr_- _Helen's daughter, and a Super who can become invisible and can create force fields. She wishes to be normal frequently. She first appeared in _The Incredibles _in 2004.

Dash Parr- Helen's oldest son, and the middle child. He is often in trouble at school because he doesn't have an outlook of having super speed powers. He first appeared in_ The Incredibles _in 2004.

Magician- Neku's superhero alias. He was given the name by Dash after his psych abilities seeming like magic.

Alright, long chapter to make up for not being able to update for a while. Sorry everybody that this is a re-occurring that I don't update. I've been having a lot of problems at home, but I'll try as hard as possible to keep updating. And now we begin the world of the Incredibles, which will feature two guests.

_Dezblade_


	40. 39: Searching For Friends

Chapter 39: Searching For Friends

Kairi slowly opened her eyes and rubbed her head. Hitting the inside of the escape pod had left a bruise underneath her head, and it still bothered her. She slowly sat up from a cot and looked around. The escape pod wasn't much. A steering panel with a few switches and levers, one pilot seat, the one cot she sat on, and a door leading outside. Just then the door opened as Kairi readied herself to wield the keyblade only to see Valdamar step in, random tropical fruits in his hands. "Looks like you're doing better," he said setting the fruit down.

Kairi sighed and sat back down on the cot. "What happened?"

"Well, I was reading the escape pod while Neku was in another one when the ship must have been hit. The entire thing rocked and you flew in, hit you head, and was out cold. I then blasted us off and tried to drive this thing…but we kinda crash landed, so I don't think we can fly this again."

"What about Sora and Neku? And the other ship?" Kairi asked.

Vald sighed. "I'm not so sure. The jet blew up, but I think I saw something get out from it. I'm not sure. And the radar on this ship got busted when I crash landed this, so no idea where Neku and Sora are. I tried looking earlier, but I thought it would be best to get some breakfast first.

Kairi nodded, praying that Sora and Neku were fine. She then picked up a pineapple and looked at. "Unless you got a knife, I don't see how we can eat this."

Valdamar took a multi-tool out his pocket and carefully began cutting up the pineapple. While he was doing that, Kairi noticed one fruit on the bottom of the pile. She carefully moved most of the fruit out of the way and picked up a Papou fruit. "I've never seen this outside the islands back home," she said.

Valdamar shrugged. "It looked ripe to me, so I just picked it like the rest. It was the only one growing on the tree though, odd enough."

Kairi thought about the fruit, and then searched around the ship. "Hey, are there like any bags or anything in here?" she asked.

Valdamar shrugged. "I'm not sure. You want me just to keep it in my messenger bag?"

Valdamar handed Kairi the messenger bag and Kairi carefully set the Papou fruit and handed the bag back to Vald. "So, let's go look for Sora and Neku."

"After we eat, I'm starving."

*****

Sora groaned and held up a hand in front of his face to block the morning sun. After the ship had been hit, Sora had been thrown off his feet back towards the cockpit. It was then he saw that the ship hadn't blown up like the jet, but was falling down quickly. Seeing as he had no other option, Sora got up and sat in the pilot seat and jerked around with the controls trying to manage the falling Gummi Ship. He changed the decent angle so that wasn't so steep, but it wasn't flying anymore, just gliding on the wind current. Within minutes, Sora could see an island close in range. He tried to use landing gear, but it didn't work either. The memories of the crash slowly came as he stumbled out of the wrecked Gummi Ship. Sora had barley had strapped himself in when it hit the ground nose first, which must have caused half of the Gummi blocks to break off as it flipped a few times. At that point, Sora had lost consciousness.

He now leaned up against the blackened exterior of the ship where it had been hit by the missile, breathing slowly. He stayed there for a few minutes trying to get his thoughts straight as he came to the conclusion that he had to find the others. Hopefully they had also come to this island, being the closest thing out in the middle of the ocean they had been flying over. What Sora walked through away from the ship seemed like a dense woods, but after a few minutes, it opened up onto a plain. Sora walked around in the plain until the wild grass began to thin out as he began to step mainly on fertile soil. Sora then saw not far away was a volcano before hidden by the tall trees. "Volcanic soil, very different than most, wouldn't you say?"

Sora turned around to see Vexen standing in his blue organization cloak. "You again," Sora said summoning Ultima Weapon.

Vexen summoned his arm shields, icicle blades sticking out of the ends on the shields. "Last time we meet Sora, your other soul had managed to free itself from you. But you are just yourself right now, and no friends with you. How weak you must feel right now."

Sora shook his head. "I'm never alone. You don't get it, do you?"

Vexen shook a finger at Sora. "Wrong again Sora. When those missiles were fired, you managed to escape on the ship, but your friends took the escape pods and left you behind. Now how does that feel to be betrayed?"

"You fired the missiles at us!" Sora shouted and ran forward and swung his keyblade at Vexen.

Vexen brought his left arm in front of him in a block, keeping the keyblade inches away from him. "Actually, that wasn't me firing the missiles Sora. You see, you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as the missiles were meant solely for taking down the jet. You just happened to get in front of the target, that's all."

"Then who attacked us? And why are you here?" Sora asked.

"For the same reason you are here Sora, to find the Royal Scroll. As for who fired the missiles, I do not know his name. But runs this island and has the heartless on his side. So, we are all enemies of each other. One with the heartless," Vexen said as he snapped his left fingers and several sprayers appeared behind him, "me and the soulz, and you and your most likely dead friends. To be honest keyblade master, the odds are really large against you."

Sora breathed heavily, still somewhat tired out from the crash landing as Vexen's words sank in. "They're not dead. I know that. And they can take care of heartless no problem. And since we're here, I think I'll make it easier for them by taking you out!"

Sora then jumped off the ground and flipped in the air over Vexen and landed back on two feet and swung Ultima Weapon at the Blue Cloaked Seeker's back. Vexen spun around just in time to have one of his icicle blades block the attack and push Sora off of him. "So here we are again Sora. A battle between the two of us," Vexen said as the Sprayers gathered in a circle around the two, "but I have help this time, and you don't have any cards to call for help from your friends. Still think you can manage?"

Sora crisscrossed his keyblade in midair. "Bring it."

The two charged forward and brought their weapons together and clashed back and forth. Sora's swordsmanship was much more experienced then Vexen's, but the Chilly Academic had two blades and shielded arms making it harder on Sora. They blocked each other's swing, the clinking of metal ice repeating over and over as they fought on the volcanic soil. After a few seconds, Sora ducked under a swing of Vexen's, and ran into Vexen in a crouched position knocking him over. Sora then brought his keyblade up to attack Vexen while he was still on the ground, but a Sprayer flew in front of Sora as he sliced through the soulz instead. The soulz then moved around their leader and began blocking Sora, spraying their mysterious ooze on the ground in front of them, ruining the rich soil. Vexen stood on his feet. "Perhaps I am not feeling up to a fight Sora. Perhaps these can satisfy the fight it you," he said, motioning his hand through the air.

Slowly, the sprayers transitioned from the golden bronze color to a light blue like the one that Sora had fought last time against Vexen. More also appeared, making it seem like there were fifty of these soulz. Sora used Firagra a few times, but it only took a few out and made them back off, but more were getting closer and began spraying the ground with ice. This wasn't good. Sora than did the quickest thing he could. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Orange Materia from Zack. "Buhamut!" Sora yelled holding the orb up.

The orb glowed, to which all the sprayers backed away for a second. An orange burst of energy than blasted out from the top of the orb and raised up in the sky above Sora. Soon, the beam began to ravel itself in the air several feet up creating a shape; soon the orange light disappeared as a dragon stood a float in the air and slowly descended towards the ground as Sora jumped up onto its left shoulder. The dragon then moved around breathing fireballs at the soulz as Sora shot his own from his keyblade. The fire balls made short work of the Cold Sprayers quickly finishing them off. When five were left, Buhamut swung around in the air, its tail slicing the last Sprayers sending their souls into peace. Vexen then began to shoot icicles towards the dragon. Most bounced off the thick scales of the dragon, but Buhamut rose into the air flapping its wings as a blue fireball began to grow within its maw. It rose higher as Sora gripped onto the dragon to avoid from falling. Buhamut then took Sora in its clawed hand, and then threw him up in the air. As Sora rose up in the air, Ultima Weapon began to give off a blue sheen. Buhamut then fired Mega Flare from its maw at the sky above towards Sora. Sora readied himself as the enormous fireball came closer, than glided towards it swung around completely hitting the Mega Flare with his plasma covered keyblade. The plasma bounced the Mega Flare back towards the island at an even faster speed as it hit the ground near Vexen resulting in a massive explosion. Sora landed back onto Buhamut's back as the dragon dived back to the ground allowing for Sora to jump off safely before Buhamut disappeared returning to its world.

Sora looked around the volcanic soil which had nearly been destroyed by the Mega Flare. Yet Vexen was nowhere to be seen. Then Sora got hit in the back of the head and fell to the ground. Vexen stood there with his weapons gone and part of his cloak burned away. "Thought it would be so easy to get rid of me, eh Sora?" Vexen said poisonously.

Sora got up and slammed the keyblade in Vexen's face sending him to the ground. Vexen quickly stumbled up as Sora brought Ultima Weapon up for what would be the final blow till Sora realized there was nothing beneath his feet. Sora cried out in alarm as he fell, watching Vexen stand at the edge of the hole above him now getting smaller, grinning. "I hope you enjoy your final resting place, Sora. You have no idea how long it took me to think of this."

Before Sora could respond, a metal door closed above Sora as he was still falling, leaving Sora in the darkness. Within seconds, Sora's back hit solid ground hard as he rolled from his fall, groaning slightly in pain. Rubbing his bruised arms he squinted and looked around the dark chamber. He couldn't see anything. Holding Ultima Weapon tightly, Sora looked around for any sign of light. Nothing. "Fire," Sora said.

A fireball emerged from the tip of the keyblade acting as a torch. Sora could now vaguely see that was in some sort of cavern where lots of trash looking metal was randomly placed within the cave. Sora walked around slowly, trying to understood by what Vexen meant by final resting place. Was there no exit?

A loud noise from behind Sora answered his question as he saw a hunk of metal start to rise not far away from him. Something was down there that Vexen had placed to keep Sora there, forever. The shifted back forth revealing a spherical robot supported by three clawed legs that extended as it stepped by Sora. A dome on the top of the head with a blue visor across it swiveled back and forth on top, and then turned to Sora. The robot began to move quickly towards Sora, and tripped over another pile of metal. It fell clumsily, but got to its feet. It than swung one of its legs towards Sora, who quickly ducked underneath the leg. But the metal pile it had tripped over began to rise, revealing a similar robot, this one missing most of its circular body. "They're failures," Sora realized, speaking out loud.

"Who's there?" came a voice with an accent from across the room.

Sora swung around towards the voice. From where he was standing, the fire from the keyblade could only cast a brief outline upon a figure up against a wall, metal covering his arms, legs, and part of his torso. "Hello?" Sora said.

"Watch out!"

Sora quickly turned around to see another robot leg coming towards him. He quickly rolled to the ground, the metallic limb barely missing him. "They sense movement," the shadowed figure said. "Crikey, you got to be careful mate. That's how I caught up here. I stopped moving and they stopped moving."

Sora froze where he was, halfway back on his feet from rolling to see if this person was right. He could see the two robots looking at him, a third rising up. All three robots looked around, not being able to see Sora. "What are you doing down here?" Sora asked.

"Same reason you're here mate."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I kinda crash landed on this island. You run into Vexen too?" Sora asked.

"No clue who you're talking about. How the heck you crash land. Do you fly?"

"A ship. No come on, how do we defeat these things?" Sora said, his muscles tensing from staying in the same position.

"Well, every time I move, they constrain me more. It's almost if I'm locked here."

Sora thought for a moment, and came up with an idea. "Hey, don't move."

Sora quickly got to her feet and moved so Ultima Weapon pointed towards where the stranger was held up by the faulty machines. The robots moved towards Sora again, but he didn't move again throwing them off. He slightly moved the keyblades, which the robots didn't seem to notice this time. Sora then sent a beam from where he stood to where the stranger was as the light hit the machinery and an unlocking noise sounded. The stranger fell over to the ground, coughing. The robots now moved towards him as he got to his feet, but Sora moved as well, making the robots confused in which direction to move. "You know how to fight?" Sora asked.

"Do I? How do you think ended down here in the first place mate?"

Sora then quickly jumped up so he was the head of one of the three robots. He began than slamming his keyblade on the head of the robot as it spun around trying to locate the keyblade wielder. The robot closest than swung one of its legs towards Sora, knocking him off and sending him to the ground. Sora quickly got back to his feet only to dodge roll under a leg aimed for his face, slicing at the limb as he went. The robot became instable now only having two limbs as it fell to the ground, unable to move.

The second robot moved quicker than Sora thought possible as it ran into him causing him to stagger backwards. It swung its arm, but Sora held up Ultima Weapon in defense stance as the metal limb stuck it, causing both Sora and the robot to stagger slightly. "THUNDERAGRA!"

The lightning spell bounced around the robot, sending its sensors off crazy. It ran towards Sora, but Sora jumped out of the way as the robot charged into a wall and fell down, a loose circuit on it broken. Sora quickly than turned to see the third robot standing over him, and rose its third leg ready to pierce Sora. But out of nowhere, a flesh colored spike appeared through the head of the robot. The robot fell to the side on the ground resounding with a crash. The figure walked around from behind, the flesh colored spike being a part of his arm. It slowly receded back into his arm, and looked normal. "How'd you do that?" Sora asked.

The teenager tipped his hat. "G'day mate. Scott the anatomy-changing-superhero at your service. Who would you be I might ask?"

"Sora."

"So Sora, how do we get out this gloomy dungeon place?"

"Well, I'm not sure. Let's look to find us a way."

*****

Valdamar and Kairi ran panting through the jungle, heartless chasing them. "Why is everyplace we go there's always someone controlling heartless or nobodies or soulz?!" Kairi said.

"Well this one's different at least?" Vald said, taking out his whip as he ran. "At least this is a mad scientist who uses heartless AND robots. I doubt you've come across robots before."

"Why have you?"

"Not robots trying to kill me, so no. I figured since I hadn't had that happen to me, I figured the same went for you."

They then continued to run when they both tripped over a large branch on the ground and rolled across the jungle ground. Than a giant whizzing noise came over their head. They stayed low as a large hovering device was a giant circular saw around its edge flew over them, a heartless sitting on top of it. "Great, heartless controlled robots. This just gets better and better," Valdamar said swinging his whip.

The whip wrapped around the Shadow's neck, and with a jerk he threw the heartless off. He then ran up to the saw vehicle and sat in it. "Come on Kairi! We might as well use this to our advantage."

Kairi carefully climbed on avoiding the sharp edges as Valdamar looked at the controls. "Let's see how this baby works."

He titled one control, causing the saw blade around it to move up and down. He touched a joystick to make it move around in a circle. Kairi pressed a button and it fired a machine gun into a tree. "Whoops," Kairi said.

Three more saw–vehicles floated out of the jungle, spotted them, and started to fly towards them. "GO!" Kairi yelled.

Valdamar didn't need to be told twice. He turned on the saw blades and shot forward through the trees. He darted back and forth using the trees as cover from the ones chasing them. An explosion noise was satisfying as one was destroyed by a tree. Kairi turned around to see the other two being more agile and avoiding the trees. "Hold on!" Valdamar said.

He took a sharp left turn, nearly throwing Kairi off. The other two followed. Kairi summoned her keyblade, ready to attack. Than machine gun fire began to break out. "DUCK!" she yelled as both she and Valdamar crouched in the bottom of the vehicle as machine gun ammunition fired above them, hitting the control panned of the vehicle. Kairi stuck the end of her keyblade on the outside of the vehicle, and aimed blindly using Aurora and Fire repeatedly to throw the followers off. One explosion hit and the two teenagers looked behind them quickly to see one explosion, but both vehicles gone. "Did we get them?" Kairi asked.

Out of nowhere the remaining heartless driven vehicle rammed into them from the left. Saw met saw and the two vehicles swerved around each other, flinging both Valdamar and Kairi from the vehicle as both exploded sending fire and smoke into the sky.

* * *

Buhamut- A powerful dragon that uses supreme fighting abilities and has helped countless heros along their journeys, as well as villains, in several different shapes and forms. Buhamut first appeared in _Final Fantasy 1985_ but this form of him first appeared in _Final Fantasy: Crisis Core 2008._

_Buhamut's Mega Flare Strike_

Scott Highflier- Outlook: Has untidy brown hair, hazel eyes, an Aussie hat, and crocodile skin boots, a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket. Personality: Has a stereotypical Australian accent, and is an all-around good guy. He has the natural ability to change his anatomical features at will. Sora and he helped each other out on Syndrome's Island. He first appeared in TLSoulDude's fanfiction, _Prince of Heart, 2008._

SURPRISE!!! I'm not dead…yet that is. I'm sorry I haven't done anything in over a month, I've been so dang busy. Worse part is, I'll be working at summer camp again, so getting to a computer, least of all internet is going near to impossible. Also after that, it's college because I graduate high school in two weeks. I'm not sure how long this fanfiction will last. I really like writing, don't get me wrong. It's just getting harder and harder to have free time to write. If anyone has any good ideas to help me get more free time, I'd appreciate it.

In other news, TL let mew use his OC Scott, I thank him very much for the offer to use his character and the support he's given since I started doing this.

Also a friend of mine did a sketch of Banirith, check out the link in my profile!

But I REALLY WANT to see this get finished, so next few chapters might be a little choppy. We'll have to see. Once again, sorry people.

_Dezblade_


	41. 40: The Scientists

Chapter 40: The Scientists

Neku threw his hand out, sending a quick bolt of lightning at the robotic bird that was sounding off the siren. "That's defiantly not good guys. We gotta scram right now!"

Neku ran through the Jungle of the island, Violet and Dash beside, both of them nervous and slightly scared. They had run for at least twenty yards when giant ships entered with saw blades surrounded them. All of them had heartless at the controls of them, except for one that had a odd large cat sitting, his outfit reminding Neku of a combinations of Sora and the royal mouse. Three Neoshadows jumped down from the flying vehicles as Pete fell down from the seat of his. "Who are you?" the large cat asked.

"Don't say anything," whispered Neku out of the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, answer me!" Pete said, the heartless creeping in closer.

Suddenly, Violet disappeared, shocking everyone. "What the-" Pete started.

"Dash! Run!" Violet's voice said.

"Oh, right," the boy said remembering what his mother said, and sped off faster than a bullet away.

"Supers!" The Pete exclaimed. "Heartless! Get that guy!"

The fat cat jumped back in his vehicle and began to float in the air above where Neku watched the heartless warily circle him, like a pack of predators stalking their prey. "Hm…you don't happen to be in his computer system of supers. Just what kind of Super you supposed to be? Bad Fashion man?" Pete said giving a laugh.

The purple masked teenager simply held out one palm in front of him. "They call me…THE MAGICIAN!" **Neku's Playlist: The War by Angels and Airways**

Neku jumped into the air his hand landing on the head on one of the Neoshadows. He sent a blast of fire from his palm, sending him upwards from the heartless while also lighting it ablaze. He landed on his two feet and on one hand to keep him balanced. He quickly got up and dodged a Neoshadow just in time and sent a blast of energy at it. One slashed at his chest, barley scratching his clothes. He then brought his foot up in a kick front-flip, sending the heartless back to the ground. Neku landed and flicked his wrist causing the ground beneath the heartless to light ablaze. Neku turned back to see the cat still sitting at the vehicle, its guns ready. "Time for you to get blown away super!" Pete yelled, holding down the firing weapons.

The machines guns began to fire, but the bullets were stopped in the air by a shield of water that surrounded Neku as he slowly started to heal himself. "What?!" Pete yelled.

The Magician than jumped high into the air, his fist glowing yellow as he punched through the vehicle. An explosion sent metal and saw blades flying through the air, Neku soaring off further into the forest while Pete ran around in circle trying to get a patch of fire of his clothing.

*****

Kairi groaned as she walked away from what was left of the odd vehicle. They had crashed into a large group of trees, the bark lit ablaze. She looked around and saw Valdamar trying to grab pieces of the burning ship away with his whip trying not to get to close to the fire himself. "Just what are you doing?" Kairi asked.

Valdamar then pulled away a control panel from the vehicle. Not answering, he tore off a piece from the control panel's back. "Perfect," he said to himself.

"Can you please explain to me what you are doing?" Kairi asked starting to get frustrated with the new friend.

Vald then pointed at something through the trees. Kairi looked closer to see some kind of metal structure. As she looked around further, she saw that it was a giant complex. Some kind of building connected to a volcano on the other side. "What is this place?"

"Most likely belongs to that wacko guy we ran into earlier. Look, I can make stuff out of existing materials very well. I'm trying to use the pieces of this to get us a way to sneak in."

Kairi then turned to hear a metallic clicking to see a large machine moving their way, two red eyes on top of a metal plate. "We got company with one his robots!" Kairi yelled summoning Blossoming Heart.

Vald said something under his breath. "Kairi, you think you can hold it off?"

Kairi nodded. "I'll try."

Kairi ran forward and got a good look at the robot. It moved on three treads upon a concrete surface right outside the building. It was oval shaped with rocket launchers by its head and two clawed arms hanging at its side. Upon turning and seeing Kairi, it began to move slowly at Kairi, the rocket launchers rotating upon its head. One rocket fired from its left launcher heading for Kairi. She ran to the left, the rocket following her, slowly catching up with her. She than skidded quickly to a stop, jumped off the ground twirling around and knocking the rocket back with the broadside of her keyblade. The rocket veered off and a surface of the concrete and exploded leaving a small hole. The robot fired two this time while moving again towards Kairi, its giant body moving much slower than Kairi would be at a walking pace. Kairi ran towards the side of the building as the duo rockets advanced upon her. She then swung her keyblade into the side of the building , the tip of the weapon catching onto the metal surface. Using its leverage, she swung herself around the corner sticking out of the building as the two rockets exploded upon the building. Kairi than turned at the robot as three more rockets were fired. "AURUA!"

A three beams of light flew Blossoming Heart and split off weaving through the air and hit each rocket midair, a large explosion rocking the concrete. Once the smoke cleared, Kairi could see the robot even closer to reaching her, it's clawed hands ready to strike. Then she noticed a figure upon the robot, a sword at the ready. Valdamar then plunged his sword through one of the eyes of the robot. The robot was confused as it tried to find its new attacker as Valdamar plunged through its other eye, the sparks flying across his blade. The robot froze for a second, and then lowered its arms and stayed still. "Thanks Kairi. You did great there. You've got more surprises than I could think of," Valdamar said. "Now come on, let's get going before someone finds out."

Kairi nodded, too tired to talk after the fight and followed Valdamar around the side of the building at a brisk walk. Soon, Valdamar stopped and took his fedora off to examine a vent on the side of the building. "This is our way in," he said.

"A vent? You're nuts!" Kairi said. "How are we supposed to get into a building through a vent?"

Neku then pulled out four small items from his bag that were sitting next to the Papou fruit. "Did you ever see the movie _Mission Impossible_?"

******

**Neku's Playlist: Mission Impossible Theme.** Valdamar and Kairi snuck through the air vents using the magnets Valdamar had created to stick to the vent siding. After about a minute of crawling, they came across an open vent where Vald held up a hand to stop Kairi. He turned his slightly around to see Kairi behind him to signaled her to move up slightly. As Kairi moved closer, she could begin to hear voices.

"-yet you have been here for six weeks and still not be able to make anything of use to us?! Why do we even keep him alive? He could at least be a good heartless."

"No! Please! I'm telling you I'm almost there. Just give me a few more days to finish. Please, I beg of you!"

"Now, now my friend. You know that us scientists have to take our time in order to get something right. All he needs is a little more time."

"No. We have already run out of time. That keyblade wielder Sora has already landed on the island. It seems that his pathetic friends may have survived as well."

"Do you mean by a girl with red hair and one carrying a sword and a whip?" said the one that Kairi install recognized the crazed one they had run into earlier.

"Well, Syndrome, it seems they have survived. If they have, that means there's a good chance that the others on the jet we meant to destroy in the first place may have survived as well."

Than a large banging noise went off as someone with heavy footsteps ran into the room. "Syndrome! Supers on the island! Three of them, none of them were in your computer either!"

The footsteps than stopped. "What the! What's he doing here. Don't you know Syndrome that's one of the Seekers! That's the other enemy!"

An evil laughter echoed from the room below. "Enemy? You mean my ally. As for you, you are an enemy, Pete."

The footsteps backed up slowly. "No. Syndrome, you work with me and Maleficent, remember?!"

"Tsk, tsk. You are wrong. You see, with two great minded scientists together, we can topple you and the pathetic witch, the Seekers, and even the keybladers. Once the professor here gets his act together, I, Vexen, and Syndrome shall be unstoppable!"

More heavy footsteps hit the floor, till the heavy footsteps ran off quickly telling that Pete had run off. "Now professor, with the secret now open of our alliance, you must see to it that you finish that creation of yours very quickly," came Vexen's voice. "You will leave you and check upon the other prisoner. We will be back soon."

Two sets of footsteps began to walk away and a door slammed shut, the noise of a lock being locked as well. The professor below than began to hit himself on the head. "What am I going to do? Oh if I don't do anything soon I'll be toast."

Valdamar signaled, and then took out his whip. "Grab on," he instructed Kairi.

Kairi Put one arm across his chest and held on tightly. Valdamar with Kairi hanging onto his back than dropped through the vent opening and swung his whip forward. The whip caught onto a rafter, bringing the two in a swing forward. Valdamar than loosened the whip so that they began to fall towards the ground. Kairi let go of Vald and landed feet first on the metal floor, but went down in a summersault to absorb the shock from her fall. When she got back up, she saw a man wearing a lab coat, with an abnormally large bowtie around his neck, his glasses slightly crooked. "Wh-who are you?" he said.

Before Kairi could say anything, Valdamar gasped. "Professor Brainard? Is that you?" Valdamar asked.

The professor looked surprised as well. "Valdamar?! How did you get here? How did you find me? Who is this? Wait a minute, aren't you two the one Syndrome spoke of!"

Kairi nodded. "Valdamar, you know him?"

"He was my teacher. He taught me pretty me almost everything I know. Well, except fighting that is. Kairi, this Professor Philip Brainard. Professor, this is Kairi."

"Under normal circumstances, I would be glad to meet you my girl, but as you can see, I'm kind of a hostage from these two so-called scientists."

"Heartless, Soulz, and robots working together. Just our luck," Valdamar said. "Can you tell what is going at least, that way we can fully understand what is going on."

*****

"So, Vexen has betrayed has after all," Banirith said.

"It seems he has hardly changed as a Soulz from when he was a Nobody," Xidmun said.

"He must be taken care of. Send our newest member to me."

Xidmun bowed slightly, and left the dark room. He returned soon with a man who wore a white organization cloak, a portion of his white hair sticking out from his hood that laid on his left shoulder. "You have called for me?" said the Seeker.

"It is now time to prove yourself to the Seekers. Vexen, my former right hand man has betrayed us. Xidmun has now taken his place. Your mission is to take him out, no matter the cost. Do so, and I will truly trust you, Io. Now go and prove yourself."

Io bowed slightly, a small grin on his face. "I shall not disappoint you."

* * *

Syndrome- A scientist turned villain due to his past with another Superhero. He originally joined forces with Maleficent, but now works in hand with Vexen. He first appeared in _The Incredibles _in 2004.

Professor Philip Brainard- A professor from a college who was widely known for his out of the ordinary experiments. Once was Valdamar's teacher and is now prisoner of Syndrome. He first appeared in _Flubber _in 1997.

Io- a.k.a. the white coated Seeker Io is someone is not be reckoned with. Although he never attacks with the first blow, he is not very easy going. He uses a mysterious white staff as a weapon with moonlight based magic.

Thanks to DimensionDude for the concept for Io. First of all I'M REALLY SORRY I HAVEN'T POSTED. I graduated high school and now currently at a summer camp. Don't, worry, I'm not dead, but I'll only be able to pdate on the weekends. I wish to continue doing so, and we shall see how much I can do before college starts. Thanks as always for all the support and making my story part of a community.

_Dezblade_


	42. 41: Escaping

Chapter 41: Escaping

Sora and Scott both ran into the room, Sora locking the door behind him with the keyblade. "Well, good thing you can keep 'em back with that," Scott said.

Than a series of Sprayers floated from further down the hall. "Those aren't heartless or robot!" Scott said.

"Soulz, these guys are tough. Just watch out for their spray," Sora said noticing that these were the freezing kind.

One than started create a field of ice that slowly reached towards them. "Scott!" Sora yelled.

"G'day mate!"

The two jumped at the first Sprayer, the ice spray heading straight for them. A burst of fire however burst from Ultima Weapon and stunned the Sprayer. As this happened, Scott had large spiked bones form over his wrists causing his hands to be more like blades which swiped at the Sprayer. Together twirling a fire-ignited helicopter Sora and Scott spun around, flames dancing around them taking down the Sprayers. When one was left, Sora ran towards it, melting the ice before it reached as he ran, Scott reforming his arm into a crude spear. Together the strived forward and stabbed the Sprayer together, finishing off the enemy. "You fight pretty good. Where'd you learn to fight?" Sora asked.

"Long story. Now let's get the heck out of here," Scott said. Running down the hall.

Before the Aussie could get to far, however, a door slammed shut in front of him. "What kind of facility is this anyway? Robots and heartless and motion sensor doors that lock us out. This just keeps getting better and better."

"Not to mention Vexen is here with the soulz. Either he's behind all this, or someone else is here to." Sora said looking around trying to see another way out. "Alright, so do we take the door to the left or right?"

A swarm of Droid soulz than broke through the door on the left. "Right!" yelled Scott running for the door.

Sora ran next to Scott, already aiming his keyblade at the door to the right of where they once stood and unlocked the door. The door slid open to the sides as the two jumped in through the opening as Scott slammed on the button to shut the doors again. One Droid had pushed through and swiped at Sora, hitting him with the flat side of its weapon arm. Sora fell to the ground, tasting a little blood in his mouth. Before he could do anything Scott jumped on top of the droid and began to hammer at its head with a crushed up fist that soon pelted the Droid's mainframe. After it fell to the ground, Sora slowly stood up, exhausted. "Well, at least that's over for now." Scott said.

But Sora turned to the right and looked somewhat surprised. "Or is it?"

Sora saw a large oval casing of a sort. A light display went along the sides, two large control panels sitting in front of it. "What is this?" Sora thought out loud.

Scott shrugged. "Search me mate."

Sora approached one of the panels and looked at the controls. He went through a few of the controls and flipped one switch. Instantly, the pods began to rotate horizontally and began to hiss open. Sora and Scott stumbled back as lights began to shine from the inside. As Sora looked closer at was inside, he gasped. Inside was a large man than was suspended by a form of an electrical current, his hands and feet trapped within odd cases. He seemed unconscious. He was also wearing a red jumpsuit of a sort with a black mask over his eyes. "Crikey mate, this is too weird." Scott whispered.

Sora slowly approached the panel again, and pressed a large red button. Immediately, the electrical current shut off and the large man fell from where hung onto the ground, the casings around his hands and feet popped off easily. Sora hesitated for a second, but that went for it and ran up to the man, Scott a few steps behind, although he was much more hesitant. "Hey!" Sora said. "Can you hear me?"

The man's hand than suddenly grabbed Sora by the throat. "Yeah, I can hear you perfectly fine," the man said in a dark tone.

The man slowly rose, raising Sora into the air, chocking him. Sora brought up both of his hands to pry his neck loose, but it useless. "Hey! Put him down!" Scott yelled as he ran, but the man punched Scott causing him to fly off across the room and into a wall.

"All this pain and suffering. How could you possibly bring me any lower? What do you want with me?" the man began to yell.

"You've….got…the…wrong…guy…" Sora struggled with little success.

"Bob?!"

Sora and the man both turned to see that the door had been opened, a woman who's clothing practically was identical to the man's stood in the doorway, a shocked expression across her face. The large man install let go of Sora, as he fell to the ground, gasping for breath. "Helen!" the man said.

"What where you just doing?!" she yelled at the man walking forward.

Scott than came up from where he left a dent in a wall as Sora stood up rubbing his neck. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Scott asked.

The man ignored the teenagers as he ran up to the woman and kissed her. "Helen! You're alive! I heard him playing the recording of the plane! It was horrible! I thought you had died…" the man drifted off.

"Bob…what where you just doing?" the woman, or Helen, asked.

Bob turned to look at Sora. "Yeah, I would like an explanation as well."

Bob sighed. "I'm sorry. I thought it was him."

"Who?" Helen asked.

"Syndrome. He's behind all of this. He lured me out believing I could regain my life back by fighting some kind of robot. But it was all a rouse."

"You mean the fella who also wears the mask and the rocket shoes than, right?" Scott said. "Then it looks like we were in the same boat mates. Got some message telling me he could help me find my friends. Fat lie."

"Yeah, that's Syndrome. He's tricked us all," Bob said.

"Than what's Vexen doing here?" Sora asked.

"Who?" Helen asked.

"Never mind. I guess none of you have even run into him," Sora shaking his head.

Helen than stared at Sora. "Wait a minute…a recognize your voice…you were on the other ship!"

Sora's face lit up. "You mean you were the pilot! It looks like you made it out okay."

"With a little help of your friend Neku that is."

"You met Neku?! What about Valdamar and Kairi?"

Helen shook her head. "He didn't mention another though, so who's this young man?"

After a few introductions and Bob, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible, a superhero of the past, and his wife Helen/Elasticagirl/Mrs. Incredible explained a brief history of their past, superheroes being forced to go underground, and the most recent events, each other filing in parts. "But Bob, why didn't you tell me about your job?"

"I'm sorry Helen. I just didn't want to worry you and the kids," Bob said.

Sora shook his fist. "Well, why don't we pay a visit to this Syndrome for messing with all of us. He has no idea what he's got himself into!"

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible nodded their heads. "But we have to find their kids and Neku. I left them by a cave to the south of here, let's hurry," Helen said.

"Wait!" Mr. Incredible said, reaching into his pocket. "Your two identities are important. If syndrome ever realized who you were, he'd come back for you."

He handed a black mask to both Sora and Scott, both identical to the other two Supers. They put them on, the true selves now hidden to the rest of the world. "Now, how do we get out," said the masked Sora taking out Ultima Weapon as they approached the door.

"Here, I snuck in through this passage way," Helen said as the four began to escape from the base.

As they ran down the hall, they didn't see a white and black portal open in the room they had left as a man in a white organization cloak stepped out. He looked around, part of his white hair sticking out from under his hood. He slowly walked into the hall where three Sprayers met him. They went in to attack, but he simply raised his hand and they stopped, and disappeared into thin air. "If you think your pawns have higher authority over me, traitor, you have much to learn," Io thought out loud as he continued to walk down the hall.

*****

"So, Syndrome has betrayed us to work alongside our other enemy," Maleficent said fingering the seat she sat in. "How deplorable."

"Uh, should we do than Maleficent?" Pete asked after informing her of the news.

Maleficent rose from her seat and walked towards the room of the hidden castle in the rock formations outside of Radiant Garden. "We shall do…nothing."

"Nothing?!"

"You see, that imbecile may have betrayed us, but if both he and the one who is a Soulz are together against the pathetic keyblade wielder, they will take care of both of them for us. Two birds with one stone. Right now, we shall plan to prevent this from happening in the future and figure a way to foil both of their plans."

*****

"I know you're they're little Miss. Disappear," the Droid soulz out in the water, its heat seeking vision on with its gun at the ready.

Three Droid Soulz and three Sniper Nobodies scanned the small river where the disappearing girl was last visible, all of them ready to shoot. One of the Droids scooted their leg forward and pushed a clump of sand into the river. The sand began to settle in the middle of the river, but a clump of sand settled above the ground. "We have found you," the Droid said, its arm cannon charging to fire.

Out of nowhere than, a blur streaked past the droid causing it's arm to fly off in a random direction and fired, flinging another Droid back with a hole through it. The streak zoomed back on top of the Droid's head and stopped to see Dash standing on top of it, his fists punching just as fast as he could run. "Don't touch my sister!" he yelled as he ran around the Droid punching as he went around.

After a minute, the other Droid and the sniper unable to get a clear shot at Dash, the Droid was defeated and clunked to the ground and faded away. But now Dash was defenseless. "Uh-oh," he said as the final Droid and Snipers started to fire.

"NO!"

Violet jumped out from her hiding spot from where she was when Dash had distracted the droid and froze in midair in front of Dash, a purple energy orb surrounding them. The fire from the Snipers and the Droid and being deflected by the shield. "How are you doing that?" Dash said.

"I don't know."

"Well whatever it is, don't stop!" Dash said beginning to run, using the orb like a giant hamster ball and the sped quickly away from the enemies into the woods. As they went further, more floating vehicles appeared and started to fire at them, the machine gun blocked. And when the quickly rolling orb of energy ran into it, the machine went flying off into the air and into a tree, creating a large explosion. The other machines followed suit creating a small fire in the jungle.

*****

"So Syndrome and Vexen are working together to make something even worse than the heartless, nobodies, or soulz?" Kairi said sitting, scratching her head.

"Precisely," the professor said. "That's why they kidnapped me to make it right with all of my knowledge for creating new materials."

"So what they plan to make is something that is extremely powerful: a combination of two of them or all three. An ultimate living weapon," Valdamar said sharpening his sword.

"And using them to defeat us, Maleficent, and the Seekers all together for some other goal or something similar," Kairi ended sighing. "This way over my head."

"No," Valdamar said standing up. "It's way over theirs."

"Huh?"

"Think about it: What is the only thing missing if they create such a creature? It has the body, the soul, and the darkness in our hearts. What's missing?"

"Light," said Professor Brainard.

"It's the only thing preventing this type of being from returning to its normal self. If we use light, it would actually return the thing to its original self," Valdamar said.

"The only problem is they foresaw this," the professor said. "They figured if they used heartless or nobodies or soulz from different origins, they would not return to normal. But if light was used on them, it would create a being that never existed before. It could cause chaos to the being or person that never existed with a mix of memories and could result in something that none would want to happen."

"So, we have to figure some way to stop them from making this combination of creatures," Valdamar said.

"Well, professor, do you know anything that could help us?" Kairi said.

"Well, they have a room where they are running experiments, but there are many heartless throughout the halls. I couldn't ever walk through without either one of the two making go work down there."

"Well, you've got us with you," Kairi said. "We can fight them off and you can show us the way."

Valdamar nodded. "Yeah, that'll work. Come on sir, let's going before anyone should show up."

*****

The two Incredibles, Sora, and Scott both stopped where they were running in the jungle when they started to hear explosions, interrupting the two superheroes arguing about the truth of what Mr. Incredible had been doing for the past few months. "What the heck?" the masked keyblader said.

Just then, a large purple orb broke through the trees and ran straight into the four. The four than began to be rolled over and over again through the forest, all with shocked expressions. Sora could hear a faint voice as he was rolled around, wondering what the heck was going on. "Mom! Dad!"

The orb disappeared and everyone ended up in a pile on top of one another. Sora pushed Scott off of him stand up on one knee to see to two kids on top of the two Incredibles, wearing the same exact outfits! "Kids!" Mr. Incredible yelled.

"You're all right!" Mrs. Incredible.

"Let me get this straight, you have super kids as well?" Scott said rubbing his head.

Before anyone could say anything, three saw vehicles flew through the air and began to fire upon the group. The kids quickly ducked down as all of the sudden Mrs. Incredible stretched her arms, grabbed one of the vehicles and swung with all her might and flung it backwards into a tree, resulting in another explosion. Mr. Incredible jumped up and grabbed the edge of the saw blades, not touching the blades, and began to swung the vehicle like he was in the hammer throw until he let go and flung it into the third resulting in a massive explosion. Both the adult Incredibles sighed and turned to look at each other. "Ah, I love you," they both to said to one another at the same time.

"Whoa," Dash, Violet, Sora, and Scott said at the same time.

Then they heard a screeching noise through the woods as another vehicle started to tear through the woods, this one flying at a low angle, a figure leaned over on top of it. The vehicle came crashing down a few feet in front of the group. Neku then finished punching the heartless on top as it returned to the darkness. "Annoying brat," he said to himself jumping off.

"Neku!" Sora said running forward. "You're alright!"

Neku turned around is surprise. "Hey! You made it! Have you seen the others?"

Sora sadly shook his head. "No. But it looks like you already met the Incredibles here," Sora said pointing at Neku's mask.

"And who's this?" Neku asked pointing at the masked Aussie.

Before anyone could go further with introductions, five vehicles zoomed into the clearing, saw blades whirling. The seven quickly readied themselves for battle, the Incredibles all in fighting stances, Sora summoning Ultima Weapon in a defensive stance, Neku charging orbs of energy in his palms, and Scott turning his arms into fan looking blades. As the machines got closer Dash began run around in a circle around the other six creating an enormous cloud of sand to block the vision from the heartless at the controls. One began to fire its machine guns, but the fire began to bounce off of a purple shield that blocked all the fire, Violet standing there with her hands raised, a grin of mischief on her face.

Scott jumped from the sandstorm with Sora as the two began to plummet another heartless, jumping off the vehicle before it exploded into the ground. Two more ships attempted to attack violet as she kept the one within a shield, but one of Mrs. Incredibles' stretching arms punched a heartless pilot back as Neku fired three lightning bolts at the other. The last one was ready to fire at Mrs. Incredible, but it was instantly pulled down through the vehicle by Mr. Incredible's strength, and a mighty punch soon took care of the heartless. But before anymore of the heroes could attack another incoming wave of heartless, bright blue beams came out of nowhere and froze them in place. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What is going on here!" said a voice.

Sora couldn't move except for his eyes, his body stuck in a position with the keyblade held up in mid-slash. He however could feel his body being lifted above the ground, the blue laser guiding his body. He could see that the others where in the same position. He then saw the lasers were coming from lasers from the gloves of a man with an odd black and white costume, wild red/orange hair, and a mask also over his eyes. "What have we here?" he said as heartless began to gather around him. "Matching uniforms?" he said looking at the Incredibles.

It then dawned on upon him. "Elastigirl! You married Elastigirl! Oh, and got busy!" he said looking at Dash and Vi. "Oh, this is just too good! But you other three…Well I remember one of you, the Outbacker as some called you. But you two…I've never seen you before. Tell me, what brings you here? Oh wait! That's right! You can't talk because of my lasers!" The man laughed.

"I believe I can explain Syndrome," said a voice as a figure emerged from the woods.

There stood Vexen, his hood up. "One is one I have run into before, a traveler of worlds. I believe the other is a friend of his. Both are against us."

Syndrome turned to the soulz and gave a smirk. "Well, I suppose we should take care of them like the others, huh? What would your name's be anyway?"

Sora thought for a second. "They call me…Unlocker."

"Magician," Neku said giving made up superhero names.

*****

Kairi slammed the door behind her and breathed heavily. "That was rough. I seriously need a break."

Valdamar walked next to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Understandable. You were working as a hard fighter out there. Everyone needs a little break every once in a while."

Professor Brainard quickly poked in a code number into a panel. The panel went from yellow to green, and the door slid open. Inside was an enormous room. Large panels and test tubes were scattered across the room. Three tubes held dark figures in them, a green liquid surrounding each one of them. A man leaned next to the panel. Kairi stood up as she and Vald both noticed the man. "Professor?" Valdamar asked quietly.

However, the man had still heard the remark. He turned around to see the three. "Ah, I see that the see that you just couldn't comply with the other two, now could you Philip? You just had to go and ruin all the fun we've been having in the laboratory."

"You mean this madness! This defies nature!" Professor Brainard said.

"Madness? You call scientific experiments and discoveries madness? Think that you too were believed to be a madman with your creations and no one respected you for it. Think about it, with all this behind us, no one will ever question our intelligence. But you are weak, unlike them," the man said turning back to the three tubes.

"Who do you think you are?" Kairi asked. "You're trying to combine darkness and nothingness that was separated to begin with!"

The man turned back with something between a scowl and an evil grin. "Who am I? Who am I?! I am the greatest scientist of the cosmos: Professor Hojo! And what I am doing is the solution to what all scientists have been searching for eons: eternal life."

He turned back to the three tubes. "You see, here lies the Heartless, Nobody, and Soulz of the same being. Now, this being was destroyed not long ago unfortunately, and left behind only shattered remains of his darkness, body, and soul. However, using modern technology and my great scientific mind, I have been able to recreate them and make them far more superior then they normally would be. Together, combined together, they would bring the greatest being to return to life! Henceforth, we could make eternity for everyone! There's only one thing missing, however, to make them complete."

"Light," Valdamar said.

Hojo held a finger. "You are smart boy, but not necessarily. You see, the other two pathetic fools believe that using different sources of darknesses and souls can create more powerful beings and ones that cannot return to normal. But the true strength is in the same one. Now, if light was given to such a being that existed without only that, they would return to whatever they had once come from, Kingdom Hearts where all hearts come from. But instead on light, all you need is a simple piece of DNA to bring back one from death's hand."

"You're crazy!" Kairi said.

"No, he's determined," said Brainard.

"Too bad. He could have actually helped us. But since you were with Vexen, it is not my fault."

A blast of light than hit the ground in front of the three, blowing them back. Kairi sat back up to see a cloaked figure standing in front of Hojo, a staff in his hands. "The Seekers!" Valdamar said.

The scientist reached for a gun and fired at the white cloaked figure, but he simply moved at an icredible speed to the side. "Farwell, Hojo. Your experiments have interfered with our plans," said the Seeker.

A flash of white light blasted Hojo back against an electrical panel, sparks flying everywhere. "You…you have stopped, nothing. They already know their purpose…" Hojo said extending an arm, and flipped a switch.

Suddenly the three canisters began to glow vibrantly, and then flashed quickly, the figured inside of them no longer there. Hojo stayed on the floor and didn't move. The Seeker shook his head and raised his staff. Three shots of light shot from his staff around the room and struck large onjects, causing machines and canisters to break and explode. Kairi, Valdamar, and Brainard ran towards the door they had come from, and turned back at the Seeker. He stood in the middle of the destroyed lab, wreckage everywhere. The escaped expirements were nowhere to be seen, however. "What do you want?" Valdamar yelled at him.

The seeker turned to face the three, a long strand of white hair sticking out from his hood. "You are of no importance, at the moment that is. Stay out of my way, and you shall not be harmed. I have my orders."

The Seeker banged his staff upon the ground, and he disappeared in a flash of light. The three stood around for a few moments, dumbstruck. "So even the Seekers don't want this to happen," Brainard said.

"No, too much chaos," Valdamar said. "Well, I guess we don't have to worry about stopping them for making those creatures with this lab destroyed. But for the three that escaped. We should keep an eye for out for them, whatever they were."

Kairi nodded. "let's just get out of here. I'm really getting creped out by this place now."

The three left the demolished lab, the door sliding shut behind them.

* * *

_Scott's Blazing Sun_

Professor Hojo- A scientist weel known for his creations both evil and twisted. He tried finding a way to eternal life, but Io saw it as an obstacle of the Seeker's mission, and destroyed him. Hojo first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII._

The Outbacker-  A superhero nickname given to Scott based upon his accent and origin.

Unlocker- A superhero nickname for Sora beased upon using a keyblade.

Sorry once again for not updating. I've been busy here working at a summer camp, so time was limited. No guarantees when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully in a week. We'll see. Plus, if anyone is interested, I wanted to see if anyone was interesting doing a little art commission deal based of the fanfiction. If you are interested, send me a review or a Private Message. Well, until next time I suppose! Now back to doing camp stuff. Plus, if anyone can guess what was going on with the three beings (one a heartless, one a nobody, one a soulz) in the tanks, and they get it correctly, I might throw in an OC of yours or something along the lines of that. As always, thanks for reading, and I appreciate your comments.

_Dezblade_


	43. 42: Save the City

Chapter 42: Save the City!

The Incredibles, Sora, Neku, and Scott were all suspended by a device similar to what Sora and Scott had found Mr. Incredible in. Syndrome walked in front of them back and forth, giddy as a schoolboy. On a large television screen were several live shots of a large, steel sphere incased in a steel flyer of a sort. "Oh come on, you got to admit this is cool!" Syndrome said.

"Indeed, cool," Vexen said leaning against a wall in the shadows.

"Why haven't you decided to show your face you coward!" Dash yelled at the blue coated Seeker.

"You need not to know much about me, boy!" the former organization member snapped.

"Dash, shh. You don't want this guy pissed," Neku advised under his breath.

"But as you can see," Syndrome continued with his monologue that most were not paying too much attention in the first place, "the robot shall cause mass chaos, and then Syndrome will save the day!"

"You're going to kill so many innocent people, just to stand in the spotlight!" Mr. Incredible yelled.

"You're mad!" Sora said.

"Fame? No, it's not for fame. This to show that even someone famous cannot fall. And when I become famous, I'll sell my inventions, and they'll all be super, no one will be normal. Everyone will be super. And when everyone's super…" Syndrome laughed as he headed for the door, "no one will be."

Syndrome left the room, Vexen about to leave as well, but turned his back for a second. "You see 'Unlocker' even if you could escape my first trap, you were supposed to. You see, with you here, you have already settled your fate," Vexen said walking up to Sora. "You have lost this time. Should you escape this trap, you still shall suffer the same end. I have it guaranteed."

With that, Vexen quickly left the room as the images on the large television screen began to change. The gliders on the sphere came off of the sphere as six metal legs began to form from the edges of the sphere. A domed head popped out from the top, a ray gun attached to its head. It than began to fire upon the city and create wreckage, an army tank standing no chance against the machine. Mr. Incredible sighed. "Ah, it's no use. And it's my entire fault. All the lies I told you, all the deception. You, my family, are the most precious thing to me. And I couldn't just let to see you down."

"Dad, it's alright. We'll figure out something," Dash said.

Before Sora could interject, a loud banging noise came from outside the room. "What the heck?" Neku said, the noise even louder to him because the electromagnetic field had temporarily shut down his headphones.

More loud banging noises came from the hall, along with metal colliding with metal, and finished with an explosion. It was than silent. A few seconds later, the door began to slowly open, the doors moving slowly. Than the doors stopped moving. A voice was barley heard to the group. Than a bright light shone through the door, and the pieces of metal flew off across the room, the light enveloping the room. Sora squinted to look through the light till it faded, and then saw three figures run through, the first one he could see clearly instantly brightened his spirits. "Kairi!"

Kairi ran up to the machine that kept the group captured, keyblade in hand. "Sora! Neku! What happened to you guys?!"

"Long story. Care to get us out of this thing?" Neku asked.

Kairi then used her keyblade to unlock the group from the machine, to which all seven fell flat on their feet as Valdamar and Professor Brainard caught up. After quick introductions and a swapping of stories, they all agreed that both Syndrome and Vexen had to be stopped, and the only way to do was get to the city where the robot was attacking. "Well, how do we get there? The gummi ship is down and we don't have time to repair it." Sora said.

"Well, the robot had left in a rocket. I saw it when first came in," said Mrs. Incredible. "There was a second one in the hanger next to it. But I can't fly a rocket."

"No. All you need are the last launch's coordinate's," Violet said.

"All righty!" Scott said.

"No. Knowing Syndrome he'd had changed the password by now."

"Well, not really," Professor Brainard said. "You see, since I had to experiment on things for them, I had to know all of the computer passwords.

"All right! So, when do we launch?" Valdamar said.

*****

"Are we there yet?" Dash asked.

"We'll get there when we get there!" Mr. Incredible said, somewhat annoyed.

Sora sat around in the RV, wondering how this idea was even working. Taking an exact rocket to exact location. But since there was no robot between the glider parts, they had an RV in the middle, Mrs. Incredible holding on being flexible. Everyone one else sat around the RV except Mr. Incredible who sat at the driver's seat, ready for when they got to the city. Professor Brainard stayed behind to work on the broken down Gummi Ship while the others prepared themselves to fight the robot. Sora turned to his right to see Kairi looking out the window, a mask over her face as well given by Mrs. Incredible. Valdamar lay on a small roll out bed, his fedora over his face as he snoozed hiding another masked face. Before he had fallen asleep, Dash had both named them Aura Queen and Gentleman respectively. Scott sat in a armchair, lost in his own though. Sora leaned against the doorway leading to the driver's seat as he watched Violet and Dash sit at the table. Suddenly, Mr. Incredible opened the window causing all the paper to fly around. "HOW YOU DOING HONEY?!" he yelled out the window.

"DO I REALLY HAVE TO ANSWER?!" came the response.

Sora himself looked out the front window. "Hey! I see the city!"

Everyone install became alert, except for Valdamar, who was still snoozing. Violet held her arm raised above a button. "HERE WE GO HONEY!" the super yelled. "You guys ready?"

"Ready," Sora said.

"Three! Two! One!" Mr. Incredible yelled.

Violet pressed on the button causing the glider wings to fall off as Mrs. Incredible slipped back in through the passenger side window. She quickly than put on her seat belt as the RV began to fall towards the city's concrete surface. Everyone than clung onto something solid as the road came closer to them. Kairi became scared as she saw the ground rushing up to meet them. She squeezed her eyes shut, one of her hands quickly grasping onto Sora's shoulder. Before Sora could respond, the RV met with the concrete in the middle of a highway. Everyone in the RV bounced around slightly, except for Valdamar who flew across the entire RV having not being wakened and ended up face first into a spare tire. Mr. and Mrs. Incredible began to argue upon which directions to take while Valdamar mumbled as he stood up. "You could have woken me," he said rubbing his face. "That hurt like hell."

"Well, you awake now mate?" Scott asked.

"This is going to be a big fight," Neku said out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Sora said.

"I don't know. I just have this…feeling…" Neku looking down at one of his hands.

Kairi nodded. "Well, we trust you Neku. Everyone! Be very careful out there."

Valdamar pulled out Banisher, his trusty sword, and twirled it around in his left hand. He than held it in front of him. He stood for a minute there, just standing there. Sora than heard him mumble something. "…the right…for honor…" were the only words he caught onto, while the rest was held under the fedora wearing swordsman. After a few seconds, he lowered the sword and looked towards the front of the RV. "How close?"

"HANG ON TO SOMETHING!" Mr. Incredible shouted suddenly without a warning.

Everyone quickly grabbed onto something solid as Mr. Incredible took such a sharp turn that actually caused the van to flip over several times. Sora squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he felt random lose objects in the RV bang up against him as they tumbled. After a few seconds, everything stopped shaking. Sora opened his eyes and looked around. The RV was a wreck. But everyone seemed fine. In fact, Mr. Incredible was slightly laughing. "Is…is everyone okay?" He asked between small laughs.

"Super doper dad," Violet said.

"Let's do it again!" Dash said excitedly.

"Let's not and said we did," Neku said rubbing his head.

There than was a great rumbling as everyone looked out the cracked and broken windows of the RV to see the enormous robot roaming through the city, its laser beam firing throughout the city. Syndrome was seen flying around it, pretending to save the citizens from the robot by pretending to punch its arms and stop it from attacking. "Everyone stay here. I'll take care of this," Mr. Incredible said jumping out of the RV.

"Hey wait a minute!" Sora said, he and the others pilling out of the RV.

"No you're not!" Mrs. Incredible said grabbing onto him with her extendable arm. "We're a team, and we work together."

"No. I have to do this."

"Why? Because you want to relive the glory days?"

"No!"

"Why? What will this do? Make you stronger?"

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"What is the point of this Bob?!"

Mr. Incredible than grabbed his wife and shook her. "I CAN'T LOOSE YOU!"

Everyone instantly understood as the ex-hero lowered his head. "I can't lose you…not again."

Sora hesitated for a minute, and glanced at Kairi out of the corner of his eye. He…he couldn't tell her. Why did he keep having such a problem without showing her? Before Sora could come up with something, he saw than Mrs. Incredible got up to her husband and kiss him. "It's alright. As a team, we can go through this together. You don't have to be by yourself."

"But…what could happen?"

"Hey, we're Supers. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"That," Scott said looking up.

Violet screamed as everyone else looked up to see the robot upon them, one of its arms swinging down to squash the heroes. Everyone quickly jumped to the side, except for Dash who became frozen by fright. He closed his eyes as it came closer, but it never hit. He looked up to see that Violet had created a shield around the two of them. The robot swung two arms upon the shield, yet Violet did not yield. But the robot moved over the shield and then lowered its entire body onto the shield, yet than it didn't penetrate. However, it had made the shield push a crater into the ground. Violet immediately became exhausted from the attack and fell to the ground, the shield fading from around them. "Vi?" Dash asked scared.

The robot readied itself to lower itself again, but it never reached Dash as Mr. Incredible using his great strength pushed it back up. "Get out of here!" he yelled as Mrs. Incredible grabbed the kids.

They turned and then began to face the robot.

*****

Kairi slowly arose to her feet, the masked Aussie next to her. "You alright?" Scott asked.

"Yeah."

"But not for long!"

They both turned to see Syndrome flying in the air above them, a horde of heartless marching behind him. "You may have all escaped, but you can't possibly stop me now! I have the heartless and science on my side!"

With a touch of his wrist, a small rocket came from his arm and launched at the two. Before either one of them could react, a stream of ice particles zoomed through the air as the missile froze in midair and fell to the ground as a chunk of ice. "Hey, you with the cape!"

All turned around to see a man in a nearly white suit with sky blue highlights, a vizor over his eyes. He surfed on a trail of ice. He jumped off and landed on the ground. "You've been causing too much trouble, man! Time to teach you some manners!"

"Well, well, if it isn't the old Super Frozone," Syndrome said. "Well, that means taking you out quicker as well since I didn't know where you were located."

"That's what you think Syndrome!" Kairi said. "Because I, Aura Queen, and Outbacker, are with the Incredibles, and we can't be stopped."

"You with Mr. Incredible?!" Frozone said. "Man, we go way back. If you kids are with him and against this Syndrome, than I guess you wouldn't mind a little help."

"Defiantly mate," Scott said as his right arm formed into a scythe, his left into a shield like object.

"Well, this should be interesting," Syndrome said as the heartless began to race towards the three masked heroes.

*****

Sora, Valdamar, and Neku all stood up quickly to face the robot. "This thing has got to go down," Sora said.

"Not on my watch, keyblade boy."

The three twisted around, keyblade, sword, and glowing fists at the ready. Vexen stood there, his blue cloak still keeping his face hidden. "The Chilly Academic is not one to let others get in the way of the destruction he seeks, nor the finding of the Royal Scroll."

"Wait, you mean a piece of the Royal Scroll is here in the city?!" Neku said.

"Of course you bloody morons, why else would we put a giant destroying robot in a city?"

"Knowing you villains, it could just be for the hell of it," Valdamar said.

"Enough of this talk!" said the blue cloaked Soulz as he summoned his arm shields, icicle blades forming from the tips of the shields. Also a number of Sprayers and Droids formed out of thin air behind him. All the Sprayers were blue, their teeth made of ice. The Droids were white rather than gold, their gun arms and sword arms both made of ice. "You shall still perish on this day and I shall find the Royal Scroll and use to achieve what the Seekers were so blind to."

"Well, as Supers Unlocker, Magician, and Gentleman, I don't think you're going to get very far," said Sora, Ultima Weapon ready to strike.

* * *

Frozone-  A Super with the power to freeze things, create ice and snow out of the moisture in the air or from water. He helps out the gang when Syndrome and Vexen attack upon the city. He first appeared in _The Incredibles _in 2004.

Sorry about not updating, my internet went down and camp and I had trouble working it again at home. One last chapter till the end of the world, and it shall be an interesting one I will say.

By the way, I'M 18 as of Aug, 8, yay for being a legal adult, I gotta go get these lotto tickets. In the future most likely updates will be on Tuesdays because that's the way my college schedule allows me free time, kind of. So I'll update when I can.

_Dezblade_


	44. 43: With Great Power

Chapter 43: With Great Power…

**Neku's Playlist: Nottingham Lace by Bucket Head**

Kairi jumped at first, swinging her keyblade at a Soldier heartless. The heartless backed up before it could be hit, and swung its sword arm at Kairi. She quickly blocked the move and pushed the heartless back knocking it into another one as they both became entangled on the ground. Frozone then jumped in front of Kairi, sliding on patches of ice he threw in front of himself. He slid between five heartless and spun around in a 360 spraying ice all around him. All the heartless instantly became frozen and stuck to the ground. Frozone then began to throw ice balls at several heartless as they tried to advance close, his other hand freezing missiles that Syndrome fired occasionally from the air.

Scott swung his scythe arm through heartless quickly, blocking other attacks with his shield. After clearing the heartless around him, he changed the antimony of his arm that was a scythe into a katana, his shield arm returning back to normal. He then moved like a Samurai quickly through the heartless slashing faster than they could react. Suddenly, a Guard heartless charged forward and knocked Scott off his balance, making him fall flat on his back on the concrete road. Before the final blow the heartless could strike, Kairi jumped in front and held her keyblade in a defensive stance, blocking the swing of the axe and the sword arms. "Aero!" she quickly yelled as the Guard tried to push down its weapons closer to Kairi.

A whirlwind wrapped around Kairi, causing the heartless to be thrown back and smashed into a building nearby. Scott stood up and brushed himself off with his normal arm. "Thank you there. Almost took me down there," he said.

Frozone jumped next to them and froze another group of heartless. "Sorry guys, but the conversations have got wait. How do we plan on stopping more of these things to keep appearing?"

Kairi looked to see Syndrome in the air snapping his fingers as more heartless appeared. "How is that possible? I thought he was no longer working with Maleficent!" Kairi said.

"Sorry to break it to you mates, but those I believe might be all from that island we just lef' behind," Scott said as he slashed at another heartless that tried to get closer to them.

"So we gotta stop this guy so these dark things keep showing up? I could take him myself, but I might need a little help," Frozone said quickly creating a wall of ice temporarily halting the heartless.

Kairi thought for a second. "I'll help you. Scott, you think you can keep fighting the heartless?"

The Aussie quickly tipped his hat. "No problem mates. Just do it quickly."

Just then, three heartless broke through the ice wall and began to advance. "Frozone!" Kairi yelled.

"Time to cool down!"

Frozone quickly grabbed onto Kairi's arm and threw her towards the wall of ice. Kairi turned herself so that her keyblade went through it first. Her keyblade shattered the wall as she continued to fly through, the keyblade knocking back Air Solider heartless that were attempting to go through the wall. As gravity began to catch up with her, Frozone rose up to meet her, snowboarding on a ice path he was creating. Kairi grabbed onto the Super's arm that was extended and caught on as Frozone slid through the air trying to reach Frozone. Several Air Soldier heartless flew towards them to stop their path, but Kairi cast thunder and aurora spells to vanquish them or stop them from advancing upon them as Frozone continued the create a path towards Syndrome.

When they were within a few feet of Syndrome, he pointed one of his gloved hands and began to fire his zero laser. Kairi quickly put Blossoming Heart in front of Frozone. "Refletaga!"

A shield quickly erupted around the two as the zero laser hit it, causing the laser to be sent straight back at Syndrome. He became frozen in his own device for a second before the laser stopped and he floated in the air with his rocket shoes, slightly disoriented. Kairi and Frozone jumped up in front of him than. Kairi used Aurora while Frozone shot a beam of ice. Syndrome was blown back onto a building, screaming in pain the entire way. Kairi noticed as he flew back one of his wrist controls fell off and fell towards the ground. Frozone guided them back to the ground where Scott was fighting off the last of the heartless when Kairi saw that the large robot was heading towards them, its laser firing at them. "Jump!" Frozone shouted.

Kairi did so quickly, the laser barley missing the two of them. Kairi free fell downwards, her heart quickening in pace. Air soldier heartless flew towards her, claws ready to strike. She turned in midair to avoid the first attack but was felt a great pain in her left arm as on heartless had completed its task. She quickly cried out in pain, and swung spiraling down with Blossoming Heart to slash through the heartless and several others. She soon came closer to the ground, and quickly cast an Aero spell that slowed down her decent, so she landed on the concrete at a much slower speed. However, she fell still on her already injured arm. Three Neoshadows crept towards her, but Scott drove in finished them off. "You alright Kairi?" he asked.

She quickly used Curagra, curing both of them, the wound healed but still some pain left. "I should be fine."

The robot than threw down an arm towards the two, but was stopped by Mr. Incredible who grabbed it, and pushed it back, sending the robot backwards towards the ground. Frozone then slid through the air freezing the robot to the ground. However, it quickly broke from its hold, and began firing its laser at the group once more. "Take out its laser!" Mr. Incredible yelled as he jogged to the side to avoid the blasts.

Kairi fired several spells towards it, but none of them hit or seemed to effect the laser attached to the robot's head. Mrs. Incredible than grabbed a sewer cover, swinger her arms around a light pole, pulled back, and let it fly like a clay pigeon. The large piece of metal spun through the air till it collided with the laser, resulting in a small explosion. "Sweet!" Dash yelled.

The robot turned towards Mrs. Incredible, and then all of its arms retracted, as well as its head, and began to roll towards them, demolishing all obstacles in its path. "Get out of the way!" Frozone yelled sliding down and grabbing Scott by his collar to save him from being rolled over.

Kairi had jumped into an alleyway avoiding being crushed and ran back out, nearly tripping over a white object. "What the?" she said picking it up.

Mr. Incredible ran towards Kairi and saw the object she was holding. "Wait a minute…that's Syndrome's remote!"

The robot, now back to normal, turned upon its sonic devices picking up vocal cords saying "Syndrome's Remote". It identified the object that Kairi held, and began to move quickly towards her. She tossed it to Mr. Incredible. "Tag, you're it, I quit," Kairi said running to the side, firing Aurora at the robot.

Mr. Incredible tried to avoid a limb of the robot, but it caught him and began to lift him up in the air. He randomly started pressing buttons on the remote trying to do something. Suddenly, the limb holding him up ejected from the center body of the robot, sending Mr. Incredible and the lifeless limb down towards the concrete. Violet and Dash next to each other wowed at what they saw. "The remote controls the robot!" Violet exclaimed.

Dash than quickly ran around three city blocks in less than a second so he was behind the robot. "Dad! Dad! Throw it!" he yelled, jumping up and down.

"Go long!" Mr. Incredible yelled, and hurled the remote like a football through the air far past the robot and past Dash. "Uh-oh," Dash said as he began to run at top speed after the flying remote.

The robot sensing the danger retracted into its ball form and began to roll after Dash. But it didn't notice Scott and Mrs. Incredible waiting for it, Mrs. Incredible bending like a ramp, Scott changing almost his entire body, except for his head, to be a structural support for the female Super. The enormous, metal, rolling ball hit the ramp and flew straight up in the air. Scott and Mrs. Incredible quickly returned to normal and ran out of the way as the robot ball fell straight into the ground, causing great tremors and trapping it in a concrete crater. Frozone quickly came from the side and began to freeze a brim around the edge of the crater and the robot, capturing it in the ground. The robotic ball began to shake back and forth vigorously till shard of ice began to break off, and the robot freed itself and continued to roll after Dash, but Dash had already ran across a pond in a city park and had managed to catch the remote. "We got to catch up to him!" Scott said realizing that Dash could be in danger.

"Leave it to me!" Frozone said creating an ice path in front of him making him slide quickly towards Dash, who stared at the robot rolling towards him, no idea what to do.

Dash decided to start to run for it, trying to run across the water around the rolling ball. However, when he started to run to the side, the rolling ball followed Dash's path. Somehow, it was still following him! Frozone than swept out of the sky, bringing up a ice wall in front of the robot. The robot just rolled right through, not effected at all. Frozone than managed to grab Dash as he held him protectively as they slid across the ice, but the robot had caught up, springing out of its ball form, and slamming one its limbs into the water. A giant wave of water rose up to crush the two, but Frozone quickly transformed the water into snow, cushioning their fall, but Dash had lost the remote!

The robot searched around for it, and saw it down in the street, just as Scott spotted it. As Scott ran towards it. Scott ran for it, but the robot lifted one of its limbs, and fired it's clawed appendage as a rocket at Scott. It flew through the air, and caught Scott in its grasp sending him off down the street stuck in the grip. The robot started to march towards the remote, but Kairi was awaiting it, as she sent a lair of ice across the street, the robot's clawless limb slipping on it. Mrs. Incredible than stretched herself across two streetlights, causing the robot to trip and fall forward. On its side, began to stand right side up, as well as grab the remote, but the remote moved through the air as it missed. It moved another limb to grab the remote, but the remote moved again, as it began to float underneath it. The robot's limbs had now crossed, making it impossible to turn around quickly, as it fell to the ground yet again.

Violet revealed herself as she ran towards the other supers, except for Mr. Incredible who was trying to pry Scott out of the claw's grip. "I got it! I got the remote!"

"A remote?" Mrs. Incredible.

Violet quickly pressed a button on the remote. Nothing seemed to happen. Yet behind them the claw that had Scott captured reignited its boosters, sending both him and Mr. Incredible across the street. "That didn't do anything," said Kairi.

"Here let me try!" Dash said grabbing the remote and pressing the button.

Now the rockets on the claw stopped as the claw flung open throwing Scott up in the air as Mr. Incredible slammed into the ground. Mrs. Incredible than snatched the remote out of Dash's hands. "What does this remote control?" Frozone said.

Mrs. Incredible pressed another button as the robot approached them. Suddenly, all of the rocket boosters on the robot ignited, sending the robot in the air. "The robot?!" Frozone exclaimed.

They all suddenly ducked before the robot flew over them, it's flight pattern off due to missing one of its claws. It spiraled across the city, took out a streetlight, and then smashed into the side of a building.

*****

Sora jumped through the air to dodge the fire from a Droid, and sliced Ultima Weapon through its dome. He got thrown down from a Sprayer than rammed itself into the Unlocker. A Droid went to lowers its sword arm at the keyblader, but Valdamar slid in, banisher in his left hand blocking the blow, his whip in his right hand flying across the ground wrapping around one of the droid's legs. He pushed back on the Droid, causing it to fall backwards, his whip tripping it. He quickly undid the whip just as a Sprayer began to breathe ice shards at him. Sora quickly jumped in front though, spinning his keyblade in a circle, deflecting all of the shards. "What took you so long?" Sora joked as he sliced through the Sprayer.

"Sorry there, Unlocker. Me and Magician were just having such a party over there," Valdamar said joking around, sidestepping from a swipe of a Droid, and feeling lazy, brought up his right leg in a kick and smashed a Sprayer that glided by.

Sora turned to see Neku spinning around, blasts of green plasma shooting from his hands as he obliterated Droids around him, and began to glide towards Vexen. "He's going to need help!" Sora said running towards Neku, but a series of soulz marched in a line in front of Sora, blocking his way. "I haven't got time for you guys!" Sora yelled as he began to slice through them.

Neku began to glide quickly towards Vexen, charging a blast in both of his palms. Before he could reach Vexen, the Chilly Academic extended his cloaked arms and began to fire large icicles at the Magician. He spun around through the air trying to dodge as many as he could, but a god amount still skimmed on him, leaving several flesh wounds on his arms and legs. He then fired two large blasts, unable to dodge as much, clearing a large path through Vexen's defenses as he got closer. His fists with energy behind them, Neku flew in at Vexen. While still midair, Neku using fire punches jabbed with his right hand, hooked with his left, and used a blasting uppercut with his right hand. Vexen flew back in the air. Neku crouched on the ground, and flew up towards Vexen, his right fist ready to deliver more flames, but Vexen moved in midair, Neku missing. Vexen then swung around, his right icicle blade and his left arm shield both hitting Neku.

Neku cried out as he began to fall back towards the ground. Vexen than zoomed forward in the air, his left icicle blade ready to stab. As he neared the teenager, he lunged forward in his stab that would finish off any human. Neku, however seeing this, used his telekinesis to flip himself backwards through the air, the blade missing his chest. He also spun around so fast that his purple shoes came in contact with Vexen's jaw. Vexen flew back up in the air, his hood knocked off of his head, as he cried out in pain. Neku landed back on the ground, feet first, but his legs still shaking from the blow he had taken, blood in his mouth from when he had bit on his tongue. Before Neku could react, he looked up to see Vexen falling towards him, his icicle blades crossed to carve an X into Neku. But before the ice could reach Neku, a keyblade slid up between the two of them. Sora rose up from a dodge roll, pushing Vexen away from attacking Neku. Vexen flipped over the two and landed three feet away, facing away from the two masked heroes. "Remember what I told you Sora. You may have escaped the island, but your fate has already been sealed. There is only hope of your survival, but not even Luxord would take the bet if it were his own existence," Vexen said turning around to face them.

"You know, what is it with you people and always telling me I can't win?" Sora said. "Every time you say you can't be stopped, you're stopped. Nearly every obstacle you set up, I overcome. Why even bother doing this, whatever you're doing that even the Seekers don't realize?"

"You see Sora, the Seekers want to free the chaos that used to rule the universe through fear. What I seek is to bring the worlds back to their original state, where everything is fair. And that means bringing everything back to where everything came from: Kingdom Hearts. The birthplace of all beings and worlds. If everything were to be returned, that means we could all live on one world, one place. And then there would be harmony."

"No, there wouldn't be," Neku said.

Sora looked at Neku, somewhat surprised. "I met someone like you before. He tried to turn my entire world under one connection, all of them under his control, so he could have them live in peace and not have people going after one another. But you see, even than it doesn't work, because there are always those who resist that power. Even if all the odds are against them and they don't care if they survive or not to make a difference. It's good to have our differences, that's what makes us live: having differences. That's why there are different worlds, so different kinds of people can live. If everyone were the same, life would be boring, and nothing would happen. Everything would be different. But add one difference, and other differences will arise until everyone is different from everyone else, once again. What you seek can never be achieved."

Vexen lifted his left hand rubbed his chin. "You know, if you weren't such a nuisance and trying to kill me, I would have offered you to join me for you obviously far wiser than you appear to be. But alas, you against my cause, so you must be rid of. Now, be gone!"

Vexen rushed forward, icicle blades spinning. Sora raised his keyblade in defense as Neku jumped high out of the way. Vexen's blades bounced off of Ultima Weapon as Vexen stepped back to block a swing with his arm shield. He pushed off, sending Sora back. Neku blasted a lightning bolt down, trying to hit Vexen, but he simply disappeared in a portal, and appeared feet away. Neku landed next to Sora. "How do you suggest we take him down?"

Sora thought for a second, than placed a hand on Neku's shoulder. "Get ready."

Neku quickly read Sora's mind. "Go for it!"

"DRIVE!"

There was a brief flash of light, but it faded away to show just Sora standing there. However, Sora's clothing now matched the color scheme of Neku's own clothing, a pair of headphones with crowns on them sitting on Sora's head, the music still playing through them. Sora then began to float slightly in the air just like when in Wisdom form as he summoned a new keyblade. The entire blade looked like a music note, an eighth note, the handle of the keyblade being a whole note on a line, which is where Sora gripped the keyblade, and a chained music locket in the shade of a heart hung from the hilt. _I think the proper name for this keyblade Rhythm Keeper, _Neku said telekinetically. "And ready to use in Jammin' Form," Sora said.

Vexen shook his head. "Even combined, you cannot change what is to occur in the future. Your fate has been predetermined by our own choices."

Vexen rushed forward and sliced at Sora, who with Neku still using telekinesis, front flipped while floating midair swinging Rhythm Keeper. However, Vexen's arm shield simply blocked the attack as he sent a blast of cold ice at Sora. Sora simply soared backwards, the keyblade blocking the frozen attacks that tried take him down. Sora grabbed the headphones around his head, and turned up a small notch, which increased the volume of the song, while also emitting from speakers on the outside of the headphones. Upon doing so, Rhythm Keeper began to give a white glow. Sora began to slowly move Rhythm Keeper like a metronome in beat with the song. Every time a strong note was played, a slash of white energy hung through the air. _Looks like we can use the song as an attack!_ Sora thought to Neku. _Sounds great, let's do it! _Neku's voice agreed.

Sora zoomed forward, slashing the keyblade in the air every time a strong note was played as he tried to keep in time. Each time he successfully slashed the keyblade at the right time, a slash of energy soared through the air at Vexen. He could break a few of the music attacks with his own blades or shields, but some swipes were still able to hit him. Within seconds, a guitar solo came into the song. Sora began to violently swing the keyblade back and forth several times brining an onslaught of attacks the Vexen tried to stop by bringing his arm shields together to reform his original shield, but was too late as the swipes of energy already passed the shields and began to push him back. Sora kept swinging crazily till the solo reached its height, from where he charged up the keyblade as it begun to glow white, and threw the keyblade with all his might, and the tip of the keyblade hit Vexen square in the chest on the ending note of the solo. Vexen flew back several yards, flying into the side of a building, leaving wreckage behind him. The drive ended with a flash, Sora and Neku both stumbling to the ground, both tired out from all the energy put into the drive. "He's…gone, right?" Neku said.

Suddenly, the air became deathly frigid as Sora saw the city park lake beginning to freeze over. "Don't count on it," he said looking at the hole in the building.

Ice began to form over the edges of the hole in the building's side, as well as the road and cars in front of it. Vexen then began to walk out of the hole, his cloak ripped in several places. His icicle blades were both cracked, and he had put his shield back together. "Powerful, you may be. But I shall finish you with my power of the temperature! Now feel the wrath of-"

Vexen didn't get to finish because the large robot was flying across the street, Vexen in its path. The robot continued to fly by as it crashed into another skyscraper with Vexen attached to the front of it. Upon the metal clashing upon metal, Sora and Neku both cringed slightly. "That has got to hurt, I don't care what you are," Neku said.

Valdamar ran over to them, along with the other masked heroes, all slightly worn out. "You finish off Vexen?" Valdamar asked.

The robot slowly got back on its limbs, and began to march towards them. "Later mates! We have to finish this robot!" Scott said, reading himself.

"But how do we destroy it? The only thing seems to be able to penetrate that hull is…" Mr. Incredible drifted off for a second, then turned to see the leftover claw that Scott had been stuck in, "…is itself."

"Well, I guess Syndrome's not a dumb as he appears," Valdamar said.

"We have to use the remote!" Kairi said as Mr. Incredible grabbed the claw. "keep it back for a few minutes!"

Understanding, Frozone, Neku, and Sora jumped into action, Neku flying above and sending down blasts of lightning, Sora using blasts of fire, and Frozone brining up ice walls. Mr. Incredible picked up the claw and aimed it. "Press the first button!" he yelled to his wife.

Mrs. Incredible pressed a button. The claw began to spin around faster and faster. "NO! The first button!"

"First button, got it!" Mrs. Incredible said.

The robot slashed a limb through the ice wall and continued to walk forward. "Kids, get out of here!"

"We're not going anywhere!" Violet said.

"Just press the button!" Mr. Incredible shouted.

"You got one chance, you got to make it count!"

The robot came closer and nearly hit Neku out of the sky. "NOW!" Mrs. Incredible shouted.

"EVERYBODY DUCK!" Mr. Incredible shouted.

Everyone quickly turned around to see the booster ignite on the claw. Everyone including Frozone and Neku quickly dropped to the ground. The claw flew through the air, and tore right through the robot's hull. It soared out through the other end, the main computer frame caught between the claw's grip. All ten stared in awe at the robot that stood, a large hole through the entire hull. It slowly began to tip over in the partially frozen lake and landed with a crash. A second later, it exploded in a massive fireball, ruining it and all of Syndrome's plans. "We won!" Dash said.

"Just like old times, huh Frozone?" Mr. Incredible said slapping Frozone on the back.

Frozone leaned forward slightly. "Yeah, that hurt back than too," he mumbled the last part under his breath.

*****

All except for Frozone who had returned home in the limo that the government agent that knew Mr. Incredible had come to take them back to the Incredible's house, a piece of the Royal Scroll. It had been arranged for Scott to be given transportation to his home world as well, as well giving the Royal Scroll to the world travelers. "As soon as we learned that Syndrome was after this, we figured it would be best to give to those who need it for the good than keeping it hidden in the archives. And next time we even hear Syndrome sneeze, we'll be there with a neckerchief and handcuffs. You guys really took care of yourselves back there."

"We'll we've faced stuff like this before. Nothing too much new," Sora said slightly matter-of-factually.

Soon, the limo slowed down as Mrs. Incredible was listening to a phone, a number of odd messages playing over the phone. "Honey, listen to this," she said holding up the phone to Mr. Incredible.

The others in the limo leaned in to listen to the scary messages. "What the heck?" Neku asked.

Upon the last message being heard, Mrs. Incredible gasped. "Replacement?! I didn't hire a replacement!"

"Oh crap," Valdamar muttered.

Before the brakes had completely stopped, all nine masked heroes ran out of the limo towards the house, crammed through the front door, and all broke through another door, as well as part of the wall. Before they could do anything, they all became frozen in place by a zero laser. The zero laser was coming from the gloved hand of Syndrome, Vexen standing next to him just in his tattered cloak, Mrs. Incredible's baby, Jak-Jak in his hands. "Shhh. You'll wake the baby," Vexen said.

Syndrome gave a small laugh. "Oh don't worry. I'll be a loving and caring parent, and who knows? He might even might make a good sidekick."

He laughed as he effortlessly threw all of the nine through a wall of the house. Vexen then fired a large shard of ice up at the ceiling of the house as the entire roof blew off. He handed the baby to Syndrome, who began to wake up crying. "I'll ready the ship," he said, and disappeared in a portal.

Syndrome began to fly up in his rocket shoes up towards a jet hanging midair in the sky. "My baby! He's taking my baby!" Mrs. Incredible shouted.

Neku grabbed the closest person next to him, which ended up being Scott, and yanked the Aussie up with him as he began to glide after Syndrome. It was only than that Syndrome noticed that Jak-Jak looked very upset, and then lit on fire! Syndrome screamed. Jak-Jak then turned into pure lead, and pulled Syndrome down slightly, completely throwing off Syndrome's flight pattern. "You get the baby, I'll go after Vexen," Neku said.

"Got it!" Scott yelled.

Neku zoomed towards the jet where a now devil looking Jak-Jak began to tear at Syndrome's hair. Neku threw Scott towards Syndrome just as the villain dropped the baby, who returned to normal. Scott caught the baby, and began to fall down. Jak-Jak looked at Scott, just about to cry. "It's alrigh' mate. Scott won't let anything happen to ya," he said quietly.

Scott than saw Mrs. Incredible, who was thrown into the air by her husband, fly to them, and grab both of them, stretching herself into a parachute. Neku meanwhile glided into the open door of the airplane, and came face to face with Vexen. "You still try to stop me. How pathetic of an ending you must come to," Vexen said, readying his hand, energy gathering in his hand.

"More so to you."

They both turned to see a man in a white organization cloak, white hair sticking out from his hood that was left up. A white staff was held in his left hand. "By order of the highest of the Seekers, you, Vexen, a traitor to our cause, shall be eliminated at all costs."

"A new member, huh? Now who would you be?" Vexen said, somewhat surprised.

The white-cloaked Seeker threw off his hood with his right hand, Neku grimacing upon first glance. His face seemed normal, but his pinkish colored eyes scared Neku at first glance. "I am Io."

"Well, Io, so sorry to disappoint you," Vexen said swinging his arm, sending five icicles at Io.

Io stood still, save for the staff in his left hand which twirled about so fast deflecting all of the icicles so they went through the ceiling and ripped open the roof of the jet as it moved back in forth through the sky, knocking an incoming Syndrome into the front of one of the engine turbines. The moonlight of the early evening shone through as it began to center around Io. With a quick move of his right arm, he unzipped his cloak revealing black clothing underneath his cloak, a white crescent moon on his black shirt. Vexen ran forward, an icicle forming in his left hand as he charged in to stab, only to be stopped halfway there. Io had moved his left staff, as a three spears of moonlight flew from his staff and tore straight into Vexen. Vexen stood there, aghast. He slowly crumbled to the floor, starting to dissolve away. "Why…why…did…it come…to this?" Vexen said right before he instantly dissolved.

Neku turned from where Vexen was to Io with his long white hair over his left shoulder with wide eyes. Io looked at Neku. "I believe we shall meet again. But it will have to wait till then," Io said, disappeared in a white and black portal.

Neku than felt the jet falling, as he quickly sprung out and began to fly towards the ground, Syndrome trying to claw his way out as his cape became entrapped within the engine turbine. Neku finally reached the others when Mrs. Incredible back to normal before the now flaming jet fell on top of them. As the dust settled, a purple shield could be seen, the ten without a scratch underneath it, Violet holding up the shield. "That's my girl," Mrs. Incredible said.

Violet smiled, and put the shield down. "Does this mean we have to move again?" Dash asked.

There a small amount of laughter, soon followed by the roar of another engine. They all looked up to see another ship approaching. "It's the Gummi Ship!" Kairi said.

It soon touched down, and Professor Brainard stepping out. "It's all fixed and ready for you to go."

"All right!" Sora said, and then turned to Scott. "Well hey, thanks for helping me back there on the island and everything."

"No mate, thank you," Scott said holding out a hand to Sora, and they shook.

Neku turned to the Incredibles. "You all stay together and try to stay out of trouble, will ya?"

Dash rolled his eyes. "Great, we're still being babysitted."

Neku shook his head. "No, just…look out for each other and always stick together. That sound good to you?"

Violet nodded. "Yeah. And thank you Neku."

Neku nodded. "No problem."

Professor Brainard than turned to Kairi and Valdamar. "Thank you so much for freeing me from the island. At last, we can no longer worry about the evil they were planning to create."

"Except those three from Hojo," Valdamar pointed out. "We're going to have to look out for them."

The professor nodded, and then pulled out a canister. "And this my dear, is for helping through all those heartless back there."

Kairi slowly took the canister, which had steam coming off from it. "Um…thank you, what is it?"

"It's Flubber," Professor Brainard than began to explain to Kairi and Valdamar what he had been able to create in secrete while trapped on the island.

In a matter of minutes, all four were soon back on board the Gummi Ship, lifting off with the piece of the Royal Scroll, a canister of a green substance, and four masks, now stored in a cabinet. Three of them were black, and one was purple. "So, how many Seekers are there exactly?" Neku asked.

Valdamar thought for a minute. "Last I recall, there were six, but with Vexen gone there's only five."

Neku shook his head. "No. It's still six. Vexen got taken out by someone he didn't even know. A new member called Io."

"Io?" Sora said at the controls of the ship as they just reached space.

Neku then began to tell them what has happened when on the jet.

*****

Io bowed before the leader of the Seekers. "Vexen has been destroyed," Io said.

"Very well done. I am very satisfied with the way you carried out your task. I now have a new one for you. Go to Agrabah and tell the Seeker there what has happened, as well as our other new member."

Io stood up in front of Banirith. "Another member since I left?"

Banirith closed his eyes and nodded. He then gestured to his right where a young man just put the hood of what was once an organization cloak. As he stepped into the light, Io could see that the cloak was mainly black, but ripped and torn in several places, and splotches of red among the black of his cloak. Part of a hat could also be seen sticking out from his hood. "A pleasure to meet you," Io said.

The young man quickly swept of his tattered hood to reveal a mad, smiling face.

* * *

Jak-Jak- The youngest Incredible, only an infant. Before believed to have no Super powers, he now seems to have the ability to shape-shift. He first appeared in _The Incredibles_ in 2004.

_Frozone's Ice Shatter_

**Jammin' Form- Sora did this drive with Neku to fight Vexen. His clothes changed to match the color of Neku's as well as Sora gaining a pair of headphones. In this drive Sora can float around and use telepathy, as well as obtaining a music note themed keyblade called Rhythm Keeper. He could also use music from headphones or another source to use main beats to create attacks.**

Finally, another world complete, and the first Seeker that has been vanquished, but two new ones have arisen. Io and…well, I'll leave that for a surprise later. So that means there was a total of eight Seekers, only seven remain. What can you expect next? Anything. I hope to update soon. However, there is no confirmed day on upcoming updates cause I'll be moving into college soon, and will start to get busy. I'll do it when possible, but I cannot give any guarantees. Thanks as always for reading. Please review with any comments or grammar errors you may have noted.

_Dezblade_


	45. 44: Roots of Evil

Chapter 44: Roots of Evil

"Well, this certainly has been a while," Roxas said breathing in the hot, desert air.

He, Namine, King Mickey, and Donald had just entered the city of Agrabah, the atmosphere no different than before. "Agrabah…this is where Jasmine is, correct?" Namine said.

"That's right!" Mickey said looking around the city as people stood at the market, buying various goods for the day.

"So, there's some piece of the Royal Scroll around here somewhere, right?" Donald said.

"Right. Only question is where. The city is so large," Roxas said looking around the market.

"So wait, you've been here before?" Donald said, confused.

"I came here when on a mission when I was in the Organization. I also with Sora and have all of his memories, remember?"

"Oh, right."

Suddenly, someone walked into Donald, and they both fell over each other. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Ahh!" The Peddler screamed as he continued to run off. "Everyone run before they come after you too!"

"Huh?" King Mickey said as he watched the Peddler run off into the distance.

Suddenly, screams broke out in the crowd as people began to run wildly in the market. Several people kept running into Roxas until they knocked him over onto the ground, where he nearly became trampled upon several times. "Roxas!" Namine said, trying to reach him, only to be pushed back within the massive crowd, Donald and the King already having disappeared in the mass of scared people.

"Namine!" Roxas shouted, trying to get back on his feet, only for a man carrying a large pot run into him, the pot smashing upon the Key of Destiny's head, causing him to fall to the ground again, holding his head in pain. This was the one thing that Roxas didn't like about being a Soulz, he felt pain far worse. A few seconds later, he slowly stood up, still rubbing his head. He looked around to see the last of the people running out of the market, his friends gone. He looked around, not a thing in sight. "What were they running from?" he wondered out loud.

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the ground in front of Roxas. "Me and my big mouth."

**Neku's Playlist: March of Fools by Elvenking from The Winter Wake**

A black root than quickly began to spew out of the ground, as other tendril like roots and vines sprung up from other cracks and began to wrap themselves around stands and walls of the market, some of them being crushed by the massive weight of the roots. Roxas summoned both of his keyblades as the ground shook even more. Suddenly, as large portion of the sandy brick ground broke apart as a large spherical object broke through the ground. Roxas then saw that the large sphere had all of the roots attached to it. A black sphere connected to a series of roots? Suddenly, the sphere began to break open to reveal a series of large teeth opening a large mouth. Suddenly, the roots tightened springing the sphere up, hanging it in midair as the sphere rotated in the air till it looked down, facing Roxas. Suddenly, small thorns began to fire from the creature's mouth. Roxas quickly spun Oblivion and Oathkeeper in the air to block the incoming thorns, not noticing one of the vines moving across the ground behind him. It quickly swept across the ground underneath Roxas' feet, causing to trip backwards upon the ground. Two more vines quickly swept through the air, and latched onto Roxas' ankles. Before he could react, he was flung up into the air, screaming out in surprise. As he freefell, several vines swept at him knocking him back, thorns on some of them stabbing into him. He spun around, the keyblades stopping some of the vines. But before he could fall closer towards the sphere of the monster he fought, two more vines grabbed him at the ankles, and threw him up again. Grimacing in pain, the hot dessert air rushing past him putting more pain in his cuts and wounds.

*Flashback*

"So you're saying that I can use light like Kairi?" Roxas asked.

"More your own kind of light, considering you are different than her. Remember when you used the orange light when fighting with Sora? That is a special ability of yours. But to unlock to its fullest ability, you have to look within yourself. Think in what you believe in."

"Really Namine?"

Namine giggled slightly. "Of course, I promise."

"Yeah, thanks," he said to Namine, and slowly grabbed her hand. "We better catch up with the King and Donald."

Namine looked down at Roxas holding her hand. "Yes. Let's not keep them waiting."

*End Flashback*

Roxas turned around in midair as he fell back towards the roots swaying at him. He briefly closed his eyes and looked inside himself. What did he see? What was the thing he believed in the most? He saw something within himself. A light. He reached for it, when all of the sudden, he heard a loud noise erupt. Breaking his concentration, Roxas opened his eyes. "Huh?"

King Mickey and Donald were on the roof of a building in the city, both firing spells at the creature. As he looked around, he could see Namine standing at a different rooftop, her keyblade tracing lines throughout the air stopping the vines from swiping near Roxas. Roxas saw his chance, and took it. The spun in the air so that both Oathkeeper and Oblivion pointed downwards as they both struck the center of the creature. Instantlly, the creature stopped moving, and all of its vines and roots instantly dissolved. The sphere remained floating in midair, Roxas' keyblades still sticking out of it till it began to glow brightly, and exploded in a blast of light. Roxas landed onto the ground, and then fell over, the effect of all the cuts and wounds taking their toil. Within a minute, Namine came running towards him. "Roxas! Are you alright?"

"No, not really," he grimaced from the pain.

"Hold on," she said, and readied to use Artist's Touch to cast a healing spell.

Before she could, another black sphere materialized out of thin air. It began to charge an energy attack as Roxas watched in horror as it began to aim at Namine. "Namine!"

She turned around just as the attack was released. Before she could even scream, a large blue object swooped in between Namine and the attack and the attack was diffused. "Hey! That hurt there! It's a good thing I'm immortal otherwise I might have just died there!"

"Genie!" Donald shouted form on top of the building.

"Hi there folks. Let me just run a little bit on cleanup crew for you!" said Genie.

Genie moved quickly through the air and began to shoot carton bullets from his fingers. "Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang BANG!" he shouted as the bullets zoomed through the air and destroyed the sphere.

After Namine healed Roxas and Donald and Mickey came back into the ruined market, Donald quickly introduced Genie. "So you're a genie?" King Mickey said.

"The one and only, your majesty! Usually I take three wishes, no more no less, but ever since being freed of my bonds, I am free to do anything I wish!" he yelled as he spun around making fireworks go off in the area.

"So, what exactly was that thing?" Roxas said. "I don't think it was a heartless."

Genie than proofed next to Roxas, even level with him. "Rox, I can call, you, Rox, right? You remind me of someone spiky. Do you know a Sora by any chance?"

"Trust me, he does," Donald said.

"Well to answer your question, it is a an ancient monster," Genie said. "You see, they all started popping up after this one guy showed up. However every time me and Aladdin try to find this guy, he disappears. Usually in some sort of portal."

"Did this man appear to be wearing an Organization cloak?" Namine said.

"What, you mean like this?" Genie asked.

Genie proofed again, but this time he had taken on the shape of a light blue Organization cloak, but his face stuck out from underneath his cloak. "Yes! Just like that!" Donald said.

Genie than proofed back to normal. "Why, are these guys still around. So its these nobody things bringing back the ancient beasts you say?"

"Well, there not really members of the Organization any more…" Roxas said.

"They are the Seekers," King Mickey explained. "They are soulz that are out searching for the pieces of the Royal Scroll. What for, we aren't a hundred percent true, but we have a feeling that it may threaten the universe."

Genie scratched his chin. "Soulz…soulz…where have I heard that term before?" Genie thought. "Oh, that's it! I remember. Oh that was centuries ago!"

"What was?" Namine asked.

"You see, I had a master way WAY back in the day who wanted to rid of these things called the soulz that were bothering him as of late. Wish done, soulz never bothered him again."

"So the soulz have existed for an extremely long time," Roxas said.

"You got that Rox!" Genie said.

"Genie!"

The group turned around to see Aladin running towards them, his sword at the ready, but he stopped himself upon seeing the group. "Donald! Sora?"

"No, it's Roxas," the Key to Destiny sighed, getting tired of being called by his original self.

"Al! Great to see you! Just saved these guy from some more of those monsters. Here we have King Mickey Mouse, Donald, Roxas, or Rox, and Namine!"

"Genie! We don't have time! The stranger just kidnapped Jasmine!"

"What?!" Donald said.

"We've got to stop him!" King Mickey said.

"Follow me! He was headed this way!" Aladdin said, and the group followed him, Genie soaring quickly above them.

* * *

Alright, sorry for not updating. I moved into college and everything and have been extremely busy. I want to update at least once a week on either Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, but I can't make any guarantees when chapters will be posted. But so far, college is pretty good for only being one week in.

In other news, I just started playing Dissadia Final Fantasy, and the game play has intrigued me a lot. If you noticed in the last chapter about the fighting back and forth in midair, that was based off the combat system in Dissadia. I may be using a few other elements from that in the story, two later in this world.

Thanks as always for reading, and please review.

_Dezblade_


	46. 45: The Silent Hero and a Dark Knight

Chapter 45: The Silent Hero and a Dark Knight

They all ran through the streets, Donald waddling in the back when all of the sudden, Genie shouted form above. "Al! I see him! Brown Cloaked guy up ahead with Jasmine!" Genie shouted having turned into a telescope.

He fell down into Aladdin's arms and automatically adjusted so Aladdin could see. "What do you see?" Namine asked.

"It's a guy in an Organization cloak alright…but…it's brown. And there's Jasmine!"

Before Roxas could ask a question, Aladdin threw Genie up in the air as Genie reverted back to normal, and they both whistled together. In a few seconds, Carpet flew from the air and stopped down on the ground near them. "Come on guys! Carpet! You need to follow that guy that took Jasmine!" Aladdin said as everyone piled onto Carpet.

"In case of emergency, the exits are here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here anywhere! Keep your hands and arms inside the carpet!" Genie said pointing several arms in every direction.

Carpet shook its tassels and zoomed off, Donald almost falling off. They began to zoom over the buildings. After a few minutes, Genie had spotted the culprit again, and in a poof changed into a guided missile with his head at the front of it. "You can't make me lose you now pal! Al! Follow me!"

Genie than zoomed off with rocket fuel as he soared across Agrabah. Roxas held tighter onto Carpet as it zoomed faster in the sky. Soon, the Key to Destiny saw the Seeker in the brown cloak, Jasmine being dragged behind him by his hand. "You can run, but you can't hide!" Genie yelled as blasted into the ground in front of the Seeker following a explosion of blue smoke. As the blue smoke cleared, the Seeker stood still as he could see Aladdin in front of him, his scimitar pointed at the soulz. "Let her go!" Aladdin said.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine said, sounding surprised.

The one in the brown cloak just stared at Aladdin. "You are not powerful enough to challenge me."

"You sure about that?" Roxas said jumping next to Aladdin, drawing only Oathkeeper.

The Seeker was silent upon seeing Roxas. "So…you survived…"

Roxas hesitated. "I know that voice. Lexaeus?"

The Brown cloaked Seeker took off his hood to reveal the grim and hard face of Lexaeus, originally No. V of Organization XIII. With the same hand, he summoned his axe sword as Roxas summoned Oblivion as well. Lexaeus was probably one of the strongest of physical strength in the entire organization. "What are you doing Roxas? Last I heard from Banirith, you had somehow returned, just as the rest of us. And it seems Namine is here too," the Silent Hero said noticing Namine standing by King Mickey and Donald more towards the edge of the building where Carpet had stopped to let them off.

"Well, you heard right. But the question should be is what are you doing with Jasmine?" Roxas asked.

"We both search the same thing, the scattered pieces of the Royal Scroll. We both have a mission, but they clash with one another. Just like back during the Organization. Only now, I now where the Royal Scroll is. However, there is a chamber that can only be broken by true light. One of the Princesses of Heart. Not even your keyblade could open it. However, I only am borrowing the princess. I already have told her this Once she can open the chamber, I would return her, and no harm would be brought to her."

"You're lying!" Aladdin said, and swiped his scimitar at Lexaeus.

Lexaeus simply moved his axe sword, and shoved Aladdin off the building. "Aladdin!" Donald yelled looking over the side of the building.

Donald just looked to see five Genie firemen holding a Genie trampoline running back and forth rapidly, caught Aladdin, and bounced him back up onto the roof. Soon followed by Genie appearing beside Aladdin and cracked his knuckles. "Nobody messes with us pal!"

"Aladdin, he's telling the truth," Jasmine said.

"Wait, what?!" Donald said.

"Lexaeus has never been known to lie," Namine said. "Even when in the Organization."

King Mickey thought for a second. "Ansem always did talk about one of his students always being honest…"

Roxas nodded. "Sure, you've never lied, but that doesn't explain why you ran off taking Jasmine with you!"

"I believe I am the answer."

Everyone turned to see a large man in gray armor. His helmet was gave a sheen of yellow eyes underneath, two large horns upon the helmet, a purple cape flowing behind him. He was dragging an enormous weapon that Roxas couldn't even describe behind him. "Garland, you followed me?" The Silent Hero said turning to the odd knight.

"No, I simply followed the blue spirit," replied the knight.

Genie appeared next to the knight in the shape of a fan. "Great to know I have a fan club!"

The knight swung his massive weapon at Genie and sliced right through him. One of Genie's turned red as he spoke in a deep accent. "I'll be back." He said before disappearing in a poof. (1)

"Just who are you?" King Mickey questioned.

"Garland, although that should not matter to you. Now Lexaeus, hand over the princess!"

"What?" Donald said.

"That's why Lexaeus took Jasmine, because Garland was after her as well," Namine summarized.

"What, you want the Royal Scroll too?!" Roxas said.

"Royal Scroll? I know not what you speak of. But that princess is the key to opening the chamber where my master shall be re-awakened!"

"None of you are taking Jasmine!" Aladdin shouted.

Aladdin raced towards the knight with his weapon. He sliced at Garland, only for the knight to quickly swing his weapon in front of him as a giant shield. He thrust his other hand at Aladdin's throat and raised him up. Before he could do anything, a spell fired off and struck the knights arm. He retracted back, releasing Aladdin. "You stay away from Aladdin!" Donald said, staff ready.

King Mickey ran up towards Aladdin, helping heal him. The three faced Garland, weapons at the ready. "You three are no match for me, why should I even bother?"

"Naw, we're not worried about beating you. All we have to do is keep you busy!" King Mickey said.

Garland could see feet away Roxas and Namine with keyblades pointed at the Brown Cloaked Seeker. "You rats think you can outsmart Garland? You have made a most horrible mistake!" he said as he swung his weapon, as it split into two! "Wak!" Donald quaked and jumped to the side as Garland brought two of his weapons on the ground, and brought them back into one. Aladdin swung his scimitar once again, his attack successfully hitting the knights armor, but with no effect. The King jumped high in the air and swung at the knight, but Garland brought his weapon high in the air, spinning it around in a circle. By doing this he flung the king back and also managed to land a hit on the royal mouse. King Mickey flew back a few feet, but landed on his feet. "Your majesty!" Donald said.

"A king? What a pathetic excuse," Garland said approaching, but shortly stopped as Aladdin had hit Garland from behind, this attack seemingly to have actually done damage to the knight. As Aladdin sparred with the knight, Donald healed the King. "Your majesty, are you alright?"

"Yes, now let us hurry!" The King said, quickly running forward, Donald following him.

*****

As Donald cast the spell, Roxas turned to Lexaeus. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you, to find the Royal Scroll."

"I'm sorry Lexaeus, but we can't…can't let that happen," Namine said from behind Lexaeus, Artist's Touch pointed at him. Lexaeus looked back and forth between Roxas and Namine. "We have to prevent The Seekers from obtaining the pieces."

"And why is that?" Lexaeus questioned. "Is it just because we are after something that you need to aim for the same goal. Or do you actually have a reason behind your search?"

"We know you're up to no good and what you plan to do with the Royal Scroll's encryptions, so we have to stop you!" Roxas said.

Genie than popped up next to Roxas. "I'm back!"

"Great Genie, we could your help getting Jasmine back," Roxas said.

"No problem, Rox! Just watch what good old Genie here can do!"

Faster than he could react, Genie grabbed Oblivion from Roxas' hands, slid his hand across it, and duplicated Roxas' keyblade, this time having a lamp oriented keyblade for his own. Genie than obtained a jacket that was similar to Roxas' own. He tossed Oblivion back to Roxas as the Key to Destiny caught it. "Let's bash some soulz!"

Lexaeus quickly jumped into the air and brought his axe sword crashing into the rooftop as an earthquake started, throwing everyone's balance off(except for himself and Genie). The building began to split in two as Genie soared through the air swinging his keyblade wildly. He managed to knock back the Silent Hero but the Soulz brought his axe sword to block one of Genie's swings and pushed Genie back. "Whoa, this guy is stronger than he seems. He breaks the ground, he can push me back. Hm… I'll have to go crazy on this guy."

Namine meanwhile had regained her balance and started running towards Lexaeus. Once she got close, she slid, slowing herself down, stabbed the tip of her keyblade in the ground, and used it to launch herself into the air. She catapulted over the Silent Hero, as he swung to hit the ground where she once stood. The ground shook again, throwing Roxas off again before he could get up again. But Namine was suspended temporarily I the air as she pointed her keyblade at Lexaeus and fired a light spell. Lexaeus got shot back into the wall of another building. As Roxas stood up and ran over to Namine, Lexaeus used a blast of darkness to launch himself from the building as he flew forward, a streak of darkness following behind him. He still has the power of darkness. Be careful Roxas," Namine warned.

Lexaeus swung forward in the air, giving out a battle cry. Roxas jumped to counted his attack having a death grip upon Oathkeeper and Oblivion. He crossed them in a cross as the Seeker caught up to him and swung his axe sword. The two had clashed, but neither one's attack could beat the other, the darkness fueling Lexaeus' attack breaking out to the side in a shockwave. Both were thrown to the ground, both landing on their feet. But before Roxas could run and attack again, Genie jumped in a detective outfit firing a pistol, every single shot he fired making a hit. The gun fired so fast Roxas couldn't fire how many times he fired. Lexaeus leaned down on the ground, clutching his chest. Genie walked over and positioned his gun at him. "I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire six shots or only five?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow you head clean off, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?" Genie said doing an on spot imitation. (2)

Lexaeus looked up at the Genie and Roxas, and gave a scowl. "Roxas!"

Roxas turned around to see King Mickey jumping back and forth in front of Jasmine, defending her from Garland. Donald and Aladdin both lay on the ground breathing heavily. Roxas and Namine ran as far as they could, both nearly falling in the small crevice Lexaeus had created. As soon as Roxas got close, King Mickey was pushed far off to the side as Garland swept up Jasmine up in his left hand. "Let her go!" Roxas shouted as he flung Oathkeeper in a Strike Raid. The keyblade swung through the air towards the knight as Garland swung his weapon, as if began to fly through the air too attached to a long chain! It deflected Oathkeeper as it crashed onto the ground. Roxas ran towards it, and was about to pick up off the ground as he looked up to see Garland's weapon coming down upon him. There was no way he could block or avoid the attack, it was far too late. Before Roxas could react, a bright light shone between him and the deadly weapon. The light faded and Roxas gasped. Namine floated in the air between the weapon and Roxas. She didn't say a thing as she fell to the ground, Artist's Touch falling from her grasp as it clanged onto the ground. Roxas couldn't move. He couldn't do anything. "Oh…how touching," Garland said, soon followed by an evil laughter as he disappeared with a scared Jasmine through a portal in the darkness.

Roxas just stayed there on his knees as Genie soar over, returning to his original self, yelling about something, but Roxas couldn't hear anything. Both of his keyblades fell at his side as he dropped to his knees. He placed his hands on Namine, her face in pain. "R…R…Rox…Roxas…" Namine stumbled to speak.

"Namine…why?" Roxas said ever so quietly.

"I…I…couldn't face…losing…you again…"

Namine's eye's closed as she went limp in Roxas' arms, tears in the young soulz' eyes. "Namine? Namine!"

Roxas closed his eyes in anguish and anger. "NAMINE!!!!!"

* * *

(1) Terminator reference

(2) Dirty Harry's famous lines

Lexaeus- a.k.a The Brown Cloaked Seeker- Lexaeus used to be No. V in the Organization, also being known as the Silent Hero than. He wields a mighty axe sword, wields great strength and earth magic as well as a great power of darkness.

Garland- Garland is Dark Knight from the past who has been hidden for many years searching for a way to return his master to life. He wears great armor, carried a weapon that can change into several forms, and also has a great sense of darkness floating around him. Garland first appeared in _Final Fantasy_ in 1990.

For those of you wondering, yes this the Garland people only really know from Dissdia: Final Fantasy due to his appearance, but his original character was form the original game, so I stuck with that date. Sorry for not updating, college is crazy busy. Especially with that math class *shivers*. We had problems, WITH NO NUMBERS?! THE MADNESS!

Like I said before, updates will be scarce, be I will pledge to get to the end of this story, even though as of now it is already longer than my manuscript novel which needs to be edited as well…I really do too much.

Also I've been fooling with Mixcraft (It's like Garage Band on Macs or Sony Acid and can even use loops from both other programs) and have been making several tunes. If I get time on weekends, I might start making music for the fanfiction. Yay for originality. I will post in my profile and on chapters links should I get anything done. Thanks for reading as always.

_Dezblade_


	47. 46: Chamber of Chaos

Chapter 46: Chamber of Chaos

"And so when I came over after Namine yelled, I left Lexaeus. I'm sorry Al, but he must have escaped then," Genie said to Al in the entry room of the palace.

"Yeah, I know Genie. It's just…I'm worried about both of them," Al said. "There's got to be a way to stop all of this!" he said banging his fist on the table.

Roxas was inside the next room with King Mickey and Donald as they both sat at the bedside where Namine lay, her eyes closed. "How much longer?" Roxas asked again.

"I'm sorry Roxas, I've used all the healing spells I know, even from help from his Majesty, she just won't wake up," Donald said slowly, trying to not upset Roxas.

Roxas threatened with a fist. "Well maybe you're not trying hard enough!"

"Roxas!" King Mickey said jumping in between the two. "Calm down! Namine is our friend too. We all care about her."

"No you don't!" Roxas yelled and stormed out of the room past a confused Aladdin and Genie. "Hey Rox-" Genie started.

"IT'S ROXAS! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" Roxas back lashed at Genie and stormed out of the room.

Aladdin slowly turned to see a miniature Genie hiding inside a vase. "That kid sure is upset," Genie said quietly.

"Welp, you can't blame him," King Mickey said as he and Donald walked out of the room. "Aren't you upset as well Aladdin?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm worried sick about Jasmine. It's just the last few times I ran in and did something, things tended to get out of hand. So this time I sent a scout to find out some things first."

"Who?"

All of the sudden, a squawk came from above them as they looked up to see a red bird fly down towards them. "Aladdin!" Iago yelled. "I just got back! I saw where that knight guy went, and boy do we have trouble. They went into that entrance to the Chamber of Chaos!"

Both Aladdin and Genie gasped. "What? Is this like the Cave of Wonders?" Donald asked.

"No, far different," Aladdin said. "It's not a place of treasure, it was the chamber of an ancient god."

"An evil one at that. Jafar didn't even dare go towards it!" Iago said.

Genie pulled out a encyclopedia out of nowhere and pulled out a pair of reading glasses. "Let's see…Chamber of Chaos…C…C…C…Caboose, no….Crossroads…no, too far…HERE WE ARE! Chamber of Chaos. Back in Ancient Times, this was the area in which the God of Discord known as Chaos dwelled. Only from the light of a mighty warrior put down the god of destruction. It said his evil lurks somewhere within in the chamber and contains an unknown horror to those who are foolish to enter."

"That doesn't sound good at all," Donald said.

"But we have to save Jasmine! If we don't who knows what could happen to her?" Aladdin said.

"I agree Al, we better hurry up before that guy tries anything," Genie said. "I'll get us there in a snap!"

Before Genie could snap his fingers together, however, the door opened again, this time Lexaeus standing there shoving Roxas in. "Roxas!" King Mickey said running over to him.

"I'm alright," he said standing up and summoning his keyblades. "What do you want Lexaeus?!"

"We both have a situation. I know what Garland will do if he gets Jasmine into the chamber."

"And what's that?" Aladdin said.

"He will use her pure heart to awaken the God of Discord form his sleep. And Chaos will be revived."

"So that's who he meant by Master," King Mickey said.

Lexaeus nodded. "The only reason why I took the princess was to open the chamber so that I could acquire the piece of the Royal Scroll that lies within the chamber, not to awaken Chaos."

"So, you want to stop him as well?" Donald said.

"It doesn't seem right to fight alongside you, but if we don't both of our groups will face a far worse threat," said the Silent Hero.

Roxas glared at Lexaeus. But he lost concentration as soon as he heard a noise come within the room where Namine was. He quickly ran in to see Namine was moving, like she was having a fit in her sleep. "Namine! Namine wake up!" Roxas said shaking her by her shoulder.

Namine stopped moving and went limp again, her breathing vey scarce. Roxas held his head against hers. "No…come on…you have to make it…"

"She has been affected by his darkness."

Roxas looked behind him to see Lexaeus standing in the doorway, arms crossed. "His darkness reeks from the power of the ancient god, making it something very different than the darkness we know. If we do not stop him, Namine will perish from the evil."

King Mickey walked into the room next to Roxas. "Roxas, go. I will watch Namine. I have my light, I can hold off the darkness."

Roxas stood up slowly. "Thank you, your majesty."

Roxas walked into the outside room with Lexaeus to meet Donald, Aladdin, and Genie. "Let's go," Roxas said.

"Chamber of Chaos, here we go!" Genie whistled as the group disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke.

*****

Maleficent walked inside the Castle That Never Was, Pete slowly behind her. "Are you sure Maleficent? Like I told you before, this is too close in-between the worlds. I know we lost the fortress back at Hollow Bastion but-"

Maleficent stopped Pete with a swing of her arm. "I told you already that after those pesky Nobodies were gone this castle would be ours. So a few pawns remain, nothing heartless our great heartless can handle."

As if on cue, a deep roaring noise came from below in the neon city as one building began to crumble and fall over. "Besides, being this close between the worlds makes it easier to go find other worlds where…" Maleficent stopped short when she saw something in the next chamber of the castle.

The entire room had a dark, silvery goo sliding back and forth like water in a tub across the floor. "What is that?" Pete said.

"Whatever it is, it seems to be alive."

Suddenly, the goo stopped moving. It began to all concentrated in the middle of the room as it began to take a shape. It soon took a human stance shape, but after a few seconds, the goo stretched to have a pointed tail come from it. Slowly, red, eyes appeared and head shape of the being. _Who dares enter our dungeon?_

Pete slowly began to step backwards. Maleficent took one step forward. "Are you a heartless?"

_We are Shade, the being of complete darkness. We have existed since light and darkness have begun. And you are the witch that controls many heartless, beings of the Void of Darkness. _

Maleficent nodded her head. "I am Maleficent, and this is Pete. We wish to bring our reign to the worlds with the heartless. You seem like someone who would enjoy ruling the worlds as well. How about you join us?"

_You just want us to help you so you can fight off those against you. Those with the keyblades. We see no purpose in holding considering we are already after one's power of darkness. _

"Perhaps you mean Riku? You know, I was the one who taught him the darkness. If you're after him, I may some information that could help you."

_Information or none, we shall still reach our goal. I suggest you stay out of our way, _Shade said, a black blade oozing out from its left arm.

Maleficent held out a hand. "Now, now, no need to get angry. Perhaps I have something that give more interest to you."

Maleficent then pulled out a small crystal of her robes, a vibrant energy coming from it. The creature's eyes widened. _THE CRYSTAL!_

Maleficent grinned. "Perhaps we could work out an exchange of sorts. You do something for me, and I give you the crystal."

Shade lingered for a minute, and its blade retracted back into its ooze. It stood upright and glided across the floor, now growing to stand at Maleficent's height, eye to eye. _For now witch, for now we shall work together. But do not believe this will last forever._

*****

They walked cautiously down the pillared hallway down deeper underground. Everyone had their weapons drawn, Genie now a knapsack on Aladdin's back. He believed it would give the element of surprise not being seen by Garland. Roxas and Lexaeus were at the head of the group, Donald second and Aladdin last, all ready to strike at any moment's notice. As they walked further down the passageway, vines began to show up across the walls, and Roxas remembered where he had seen these vines before. "These vines…they belonged to the creature that attacked me when we first got here."

"Correct Roxas. Ever since Garland appeared on this world, the ancient creatures with vines have returned in the hopes of their master returning," Lexaeus.

Soon, they came to a part where to corridor took a sharp turn, and they could hear voices. Quickly, the four leaned up against the wall and silenced their breathing to hear what was going on.

"Why are you doing this?!" came the voice of Jasmine.

"Jas-" Aladdin began to cry out, but Genie knapsack brought out an arm and covered his mouth. "Quiet Al, they might hear us," Genie whispered.

"Because for too long have the worlds lived without a purpose. Beings go on useless lives serving no purpose. Once my Master is brought back, everyone shall suffer from the deeds they have done and order will be brought upon the worlds."

"That didn't make any sense," Donald said quietly.

"He's mad, doesn't matter," Roxas said through clenched teeth.

"But why me?" Jasmine continued.

"You are a Princess of Heart. Your heart is one of the few that can open things that normally cannot be opened. And because of this, this door will open, and then you shall be used to open the gateway to the dimension which my Mater had been sent to. It will be a lengthy process, but perhaps you may be awarded by my Master. Now stand by the door and put your hand on the print."

There was silence, and then a large grinding noise of moving stone came from around the hall and the pillars began to shake. "Now?" Donald quaked quietly.

Roxas turned to say yes, but he saw Lexaeus disappearing in a portal and left was gone. "Crap. He left us, go!" he said as he began to run around the corner.

He saw Garland walking into a entryway where a stone wall was still rising, Jasmine being tugged by his metal arm. As Roxas ran with Donald and Goofy right behind him, he saw the stone wall was beginning to come back down. "We won't make it!"

"Leave it to me!" Genie said as disappeared from Aladdin's back and popped under the stone wall as it slowly continued its decent. Genie than grew enormous biceps and put his hands under the falling stone wall, and began to push it back up with enormous strength, causing it to go back up. The three ran under as Genie came back to join them, the stone wall crashing to the ground, causing Garland to turn around. "You again? I thought you would learn you lesson."

Then something tapped Garland in the back. Garland looked slightly over his shoulder to see Lexaeus behind him, his axe sword at the knight's back. "You as well? Well, the more the merrier."

He quickly shoved Jasmine to the ground where a ancient writing on the floor began to glow. Aladdin and Genie ran for her as Donald sent a series of lightning bolts at the knight. Roxas ran up as Garland swept to the side to avoid the magic and an attack from Lexaeus. Roxas jumped at the knight and swung his keyblades at the knight. "What did you do to Namine?!"

The knight quickly blocked Roxas' attack with his large weapon, and then swung it across the ground so that it knocked Roxas several feet back causing him to roll over. Donald ran up to him. "Roxas!" the royal mage said as he began to casting a healing spell.

Roxas slowly stood to his feet as he saw Lexaeus throw his weapon against Garland's, the two equal in strength. He turned to his right to see Aladdin and Genie trying to break a barrier that separated Jasmine form the rest as the symbols on the ground began to glow brighter. "It's unlocking Chaos, and we can't stop it," Roxas said. "Wait a minute, do I have a keyblade or do I not?"

Roxas started to run towards them, when the ground began to shake violently, and the chamber began to crack apart. Roxas turned to see that Lexaeus had caused yet another earthquake, but this one has far greater as large rocks hurled themselves from the earth and hit Garland sent him into the air and back to the stone ground. The spot where Jasmine stood stopped glowing as the barrier around her also disappearing, causing Aladdin and Genie to sigh. Then, Roxas saw something sticking out of the ground after Lexaeus' fissure had cracked the earth. A piece of parchment. The Royal Scroll! Roxas ran towards it, but a dark portal opened up in front of him, and Lexaeus stepped out and picked it up. "Here it is. Now I leave you," Lexaeus said, preparing to open another portal, when he was interupted. "Trying to leave, are you?"

Lexaeus turned to see Genie now in the shape of a tank. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

Genie fired off the main cannon and blasted Lexaeus into a wall, the Royal Scroll flying up in the air. Donald quickly secured the parchment and put it away as soon as Lexaeus re-appeared, running forward with his axe sword covered in darkness. Before Roxas could react, however, everything froze. Lexaeus was in midair, a glare in his face, and Genie was in mid-transformation as Aladdin was readying his sword and Donald ready to use a spell. But they were all frozen in time. Roxas for a second didn't move himself, but found he could. "Again?" He said to himself, thinking of when he was in Ansem the Wise's artificial Twilight Town. "It couldn't be a computer, this is a real world."

"Soon it won't be."

Roxas turned to see Garland moving towards the fissure, a red glow coming from beneath the fissure. "There is only one more thing left for my Mater to be awakened, and he is so close that he cannot even wait for time for his arrival. You shall never stop us, even if you can survive the time change," said the knight as he jumped into the crevice.

Roxas ran towards him and looked down. He was hit with a blast of hot air as he could see lava below. "It's always lava, isn't it?" Roxas said to himself. (1)

He looked back to the others, frozen in time. He thought about Namine. This had to end. He jumped down in the crevice, falling behind the knight into a realm no living being had entered for several centuries.

* * *

(1) Seriously, every video game has lava or some equivalent to it, isn't there?

Hopefully you remain the being that calls itself Shade from when Riku fought it. Remember because it has a significance.

Sorry for hardly any updates. College classes have been giving me more projects and assignments, not to mention the math class is a pain. I'll work when I can.

In other news, 358/2 Days came out about a week ago, and it's really fun. I may add a reference to Xion if it works, but I don't plan on it. I recommend it to any KH fan, even if you do have to equip levels.

I also made a simple logo for the fanfiction, it's on my Deviant Art, so look at the link in my profile.

One more chapter and this world shall be finished, than to revisit Riku, Yami, Axel and Goofy.

Until then, thanks for reading as always.

_Dezblade_


	48. 47: Inner Strength

Chapter 47: Inner Strength

Roxas fell far below into the chamber, as he could see several rock pillars standing up above the lava, A large pillar that had a circular surface miles above the lava where Roxas quickly tucked into a roll to break his fall. He looked around wildly, gripping both keyblades tightly. Yet he could not see the knight anywhere. "Where are you?!" Roxas shouted.

There was no answer. Roxas looked around, and even walked to the edge of the large pillar to only feel the heat from the lava below to hit him in the face. He turned around and walked towards the center of the pillar. Only when he heard laughter, did he turn to around, but there was still no one behind him. He then looked up to see the knight standing upon a thin pillar. "Not observant, are you?"

Garland jumped from his pillar and landed feet and one hand on the pillar Roxas stood on, the pillar shaking, some cracks appearing in the platform. Roxas rushed at Garland while he was done, swinging Oblivion, but Garland quickly swung his weapon around, knocking Roxas back feet away. Roxas leaned back, and jumped back onto his feet. "It'll take more than that to keep me from attacking you," Roxas said.

Garland simply was quiet, readying his weapon. "Why are you doing this? Why did you hurt Namine?"

Garland was silent still. Roxas than though for a moment, and rushed forward, dragging both keyblades against the ground. Garland didn't move, but as Roxas was within striking range, Roxas brought Oathkeeper up. Garland brought up his own weapon to deflect the blow as Roxas used the deflection to launch himself into the air so he became even with Garland's helmet as he swiped Oblivion. However, Garland, brought his other hand, and split his weapon in half, and brought it up to stop Oblivion as he swirled around, this time knocking Roxas to the edge of the pillar. He quickly plunged both Keyblades into the side of the pillar, halting his would be fatal fall. Slightly grimacing, he slowly took out one keyblade, and stabbed it higher into the side. He did so with his other and continued till he slowly crawled back over onto the edge of the pillar. He breathed heavily, both keyblades hanging lower than usual in his hands as he saw that Garland had not moved from where he originally had knocked Roxas back, his weapon combined back into one. _Why didn't he try to finish me off?_ Roxas wondered, slowly stepping forward.

Garland still didn't react. Watching this, Roxas tried to figure out what Garland was trying to do. Growing even more frustrated, he just threw both of his keyblades on the stone surface. "Why aren't you coming after me? Why are you not attacking! I thought you wanted me to stop you from bringing back your Master or whatever you're trying to do!"

"Pick up your weapons," Garland said.

"Why should I? If I don't attack you, you won't attack me?"

"So you are weak? You are a weak fighter who only pretends to wield the mystical keyblade? Bring up your weapons, and fight me, you coward! It is saddening that your friend had to die for such a weakling."

Roxas was trying to provoke Garland into attacking him, but the knight had unknowingly turned the tables upon mentioning Namine. Roxas' eyebrows lowered in rage, his teeth clenched. Not even bothering to grab his keyblades, he ran forward, yelling in anger. Garland seemed surprised, slightly moving his weapon to his side. "Pick up your weapons fool! How do you plan to attack me without-"

Garland never finished as Roxas flung his hands in front of him as both keyblades appeared in a flash of light as he swiped both at Garland. The knight had not seen this and feel back with a cry. Roxas didn't stop, his rage giving throwing him into plan B as he swiped like a madman at Garland, not stopping. He dashed forward after knocking Garland back again, sliding in and swiping both keyblades launching the knight in the air. Roxas jumped in the air after him and swung, but Garland moved within the air, and swung his weapon at Roxas. The Key of Destiny barley balanced his foot against the dull edge of Garland's weapon and used it to jump up and deal a double blow upon the knight's helmet. The both fell back towards the pillar swirling around with their weapons, Garlands weapon in two blowing back all of Roxas' swipes.

One hit knocked Roxas back as he landed on his back on the stone surface, Oathkeeper stabbing into the ground next to him as he still clutched Oblivion. He thought he was bleeding, but saw a golden substance rather than blood coming from his other hand. It felt like blood, but the color was much more different. "No…" Garland said, taking notice of this as well.

Roxas stood up slowly, wiping the golden blood on his pants before taking Oathkeeper out of the ground. "You are not…a human?" Garland said.

Roxas shook his head. "Never was. I was once the Nobody, but I am now a Soulz."

Garland banged his weapon onto the rocky surface. "NO! My master requires a blood sacrifice in order to come back! The time has been shifted, the chamber has been reopened, but I need a blood sacrifice! An injured soul will do nothing!"

Garland than started at Roxas, fuming, but slowly, stood up straight. He took his left hand, and touched a part of his armor. His metal covered hand came out to show a red stain upon the metal. It happened form one of the blows Roxas had brought upon him. "So…perhaps…he has chosen me…to be his sacrifice…How ironic life can be."

Garland slowly drug his weapon behind him as he approached the edge of the surface to look upon the lava. "You shall be lucky, soulz! For you shall witness the re-birth of a god!"

Without any warning, Garland pitched himself over the edge. Roxas ran over towards the edge, thinking the knight was simply trying to trick him once again. However, as he saw the body reach closer to the lava, he turned away to hear the plop of the armor reaching the molten rock. Suddenly, Roxas could hear noises coming from far above, and he sighed as realizing that time had resumed its course. He slowly looked at all the different heights of the rock pillars, trying to find a path to find his way back up. However, the entire chamber began to rock violently. Roxas stumbled before regaining his balance and looked around, trying to find the source. However, when he turned around, a pillar of the lava rose, erupting like a fountain. Roxas jumped to the side as some of the lava reached across the pillar. He looked back at the lava that had risen up to see a dark figure outlined in the lava. Slowly, the lava subsided to reveal a devilish creature with wings, large horns, four arms, and a large tail. It slowly opened its eyes and raised it arms with it wings outstretched. "I AM CHAOS!!!!!!!!!" It uttered. **Neku's Playlist: Chaos - Last Battle 1 (featuring Your Favorite Enemies) by Takeharu Ishimoto from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY Original Soundtrack.**

Roxas realized that he was in immediate danger as he jumped for the nearest rock away from the main one as he felt it crumbling form the lava. He carefully landed on the pillar as he turned to see Chaos turn to see Chaos. "Who are you, soulz? I can see the memories of Garland and no of what has happened. Then again, it doesn't matter. You shall just be the first to be perished in my return!"

Chaos flew towards Roxas, clawed hands ready. Roxas jumped to avoid the god, but one his claws grazed his neck. More of the golden liquid slowly began to ooze out. Roxas landed on the next pillar, but he jumped towards Chaos, sipping the keyblades at one of its arms. The God of Discord pulled back. "The light in you…it is strong and new. But still not strong enough for my darkness. After all, as longs as I am here, your friend will only reach her death quicker."

Roxas grimaced, and bounced off the wall to another pillar, stopping himself with Oathkeeper. Chaos plunged two of his hands into the lower section of the pillar, causing it to shatter. Roxas fell towards Chaos, and swiped again at the God. Chaos simply stopped him with two of his arms and tossed Roxas up into the air. Roxas screamed as he flew upwards with no control, and slowly began to plummet down towards the lava. There was no way out. No escape. _Roxas?_

Roxas eye's had widened. Was that Namine? As he fell, a sheet of paper came from out of a pocket he had. As he saw it, a memory came back to his mind. One he had seen earlier today.

*Flashback*

"Roxas?"

"Oh, sorry Namine. It's just a bit all overwhelming with everything going on."

Namine sighed, the notebook on her lap. "I suppose it is. But…I knew you needed to know this Roxas. I mean…ever since I have come back Soulz, I have seemed to gained, something more with my memories. I just keeping seeing within others memories a certain power that we have to unlock. I even saw it one within myself when I was with Sora in the Underworld."

"So you're saying that I can use light like Kairi?" Roxas asked.

"More your own kind of light, considering you are different than her. Remember when you used the orange light when fighting with Sora? That is a special ability of yours. But to unlock to its fullest ability, you have to look within yourself. Think in what you believe in."

"Really Namine?"

Namine giggled slightly. "Of course, I promise."

"Yeah, thanks," he said to Namine, and slowly grabbed her hand. "We better catch up with the King and Donald."

Namine looked down at Roxas holding her hand. "Yes. Let's not keep them waiting. But wait, take this."

Namine slowly tore the piece of paper from her pocket. Roxas took the sheet of paper and looked at it. It was a picture of himself with Namine, standing hand in hand, a Papou fruit behind their hands. Roxas simply kissed her on the head, as they both slightly blushed. "I'll always keep this with me," Roxas said, placing it within his pocket before they stood up to join the King and Donald.

*End Flashback*

He saw the picture fall beside him as he felt something rise within him. It reminded him of when he attacked when in danger when in the Organization. Roxas dismissed his keyblades as he grabbed the paper as he fell closer to the lava. He closed his eyes as he could feel strength swell up within him. He felt abilities from when he was in the Organization return to him. He had always known them, but they had just been forgotten. But now, the memories had been realigned in him. He opened his eyes to see the lava approaching, as he quick opened a portal, which was now completely gold. He slid through the portal to appear out another one above Chaos. He tucked the paper in his pocket, and re-summoned his keyblades, both covered in a white light. He swung both keyblades at Chaos.

The God of Discord screamed in agony as Roxas moved in the middle of the air as he positioned himself in the air, and great white beams of light spun down from the air flying around him and hitting Chaos(1). Chaos cried out more. "Where did you obtain such a light? You have no heart!"

Roxas stopped the attack as he returned to normal, gliding to stay in midair. "I may not have a heart, but I am connected like no one else. I have love, just as my somebody does!"

Roxas glided at Chaos as the keyblades and Chaos's arms and tail deflected most of the attacks. Roxas got swiped by Chaos' tail, but rebounded in midair and slashed Chaos down towards the lava. Roxas glided backwards and up in the air, and threw both Keyblades in Strike Raids. The Keyblades flew through Chaos, and swung around back to Roxas. Chaos screamed as he fell into the lava. Quickly, Roxas brought both Oblivion and Oathkeeper so that their tips were even and parallel to each other. He aimed the two keyblades down at the lava as a light gathered at the tips of the keyblades. A keyhole formed upon the surface of the lava as Chaos' shadow began to grow again with a growing roar of anger, coming towards the keyhole. "Don't come back," Roxas said, releasing the power of the keyblades.

The light shot from the keyblades shot the light into the keyhole as the keyhole as a locking click noise was heard as the keyhole disappeared. Quickly, the lava turned into a solid rock layer. Instantly, Chaos' cries were cut off as he became trapped once again in the chamber he had been put in so long again.

Quickly, he soared back up to the hole had fallen through to see Genie in the form of an Italian plumber with a giant hammer beating Lexaeus over the head rapidly fast. "Mama-mia! This is a so-funny!" Genie said in a weird accent (2).

Jasmine ran over to Roxas. "Where did you go?"

"Never mind that, do you guys still have the Royal Scroll?" Roxas asked.

Aladdin ran over and nodded. "I got it. Are we good to get out of here?"

Before Roxas could respond, the entire place began to rumble. Genie quickly stopped hitting Lexaeus and returned to normal. "I think we overstayed our visit. Come on, guys, let's scram!" Genie said snapping his fingers as he disappeared taking Aladdin, Jasmine, Roxas, and Donald with him.

Lexaeus was about to open a portal, but a white portal opened in front of him as Io stepped out, his hood back. "This way Lexaeus. There is something you must know about immediately."

Not caring for what this Seeker had to say, Lexaeus was about to open his own portal, till Banirith appeared in the portal as well. "I understand things didn't go to plan here Lexaeus, but something else has turned up that I wish you to look into."

Nodding his head, Lexaeus followed Banirith and Io into the portal as it disappeared and the Chamber of Chaos began to collapse in rubble.

******

Roxas slowly walked into the room where King Mickey sat upon a chair, his hand over Namine's head. "Roxas!" He said, getting up from his seat. "What happened, did you find Jasmine?"

"Yeah, we found her. She's fine and outside. How is she?"

"Just a few minutes ago, I think she started doing better. I'm not sure why…Roxas! What happened to your hand and neck?!"

Roxas looked in a mirror of the room to see the small gashes of gold on part of his neck and his hand. "I'm…I'm not human, your highness," Roxas said. "I'm a soulz. A living soul. This…this is part of me."

King Mickey went to grab his keyblade, but Roxas stopped him from raising it. "Not this time Your Majesty. I've learned that…sometimes that some wounds shouldn't be healed."

"But Roxas…"

Roxas walked over to where Namine lay, and sat down in the chair that the King was just in. "I'll explain. I just need a moment alone with Namine."

King Mickey was going to object, but he decided not to. "If you don't start to feel well though Roxas, tell me immediately. We can't let you go feeling not well."

King Mickey left the room, and closed the door till there was only a crack open. Roxas turned to look at Namine, color returning to her face. Roxas put a hand on the side of her face. He slowly smiled as he took his hand with the golden blood to retrieve the drawing from his pocket. However, his hand began to tingle. He quickly brought it out to see the golden wound healing over. He brought up his right hand to his neck and discovered that the wound there was gone as well. He looked at the paper, as it began to take a more golden background. Roxas' attention from the drawing was only taken away when he heard a soft sigh. He turned to see Namine shifting slightly as her eyes slowly opened. "Namine!" Roxas said.

Namine slowly smiled. "Roxas…you're okay."

"It isn't me you should be worried about," Roxas said. "Why did you do that back there?"

"I told you…I couldn't lose you again. After we had encountered Xidmun in Twilight Town…you just wouldn't wake. I thought…"

Roxas took the drawing and set it beside Namine. He took his right hand caressed her cheek. "Namine…I thought I lost you. But I promise you this: I won't let you out of my sight again. Can you promise to stay in my sight?"

Namine smiled, and leaned forward to kiss Roxas. "I promise, Roxas."

Roxas smiled as kissed her again. "You ready to get going. The other's will be waiting for us."

"Uh-huh. Just help me with the first few steps."

Roxas helped Namine out of the bed, and put his hand around her back, supporting her as she slowly stepped forward. She motioned to him that she was fine, and Roxas let her go. She than opened the door to see the others standing out in the hall of the palace. "Namine!" Almost everyone said at once.

They all came up to her, Genie now looking like a preacher just repeating "Hallelujah!" in a southern accent. After a royal meal that Jasmine gave to everyone for helping her out, the travelers bid their farewell. Before Roxas could board the Gummi though, Genie popped up in front of him, giving him a bear hug. "Oh Rox, come on buddy, we just to know each other. Can't I come with you. I mean after all, I couldn't have helped you during the entire odd time thing, and I feel like I owe you something. Look, I got an idea! I'll be a puppy dog, and you can say I followed you home!" Genie said as he transformed into a small blue dog and barked a few times. "I'm house trained, you won't have to worry about a thing!"

Roxas laughed. "Trust me Genie, it's not your fault, and it was something I had to do on my own. Besides, you belong here."

Genie returned to normal. "Well, I suppose you're right Rox, but here, take this!" Genie said tossing Roxas a small charm that resembled a yellow feather. "I found it in that chamber, and I figure you might need it more than I would. And remind Sora if he needs a call, just give me a ring!"

"I'll do that," Roxas said and boarded the ship.

Donald ran up to Roxas. "Roxas! We've got a problem!"

"Huh? What?"

Namine ran up beside Donald. "Axel just sent a message. They've got trouble. Sora and the others are already on their way to join them, but they need all of us there!"

"All of us?" Roxas said. "What happened?"

"Not exactly sure, but something on a really large scale," Donald said running up to the cockpit.

Everyone strapped into a seat as King Mickey readied the engines, and blasted off into space, heading towards the world Riku, Axel, Yami, and Goofy had went to.

*****

Lexaeus, Io, and Banirith, and the eighth member of the Seekers stood outside the Cave of Wonders, and odd ball device glowing in front of them in the sand. "So this ball warped the time in this world?" Lexaeus said.

"That is to our understanding," Io said. "Our latest member apparently has seen something similar to this device and it did this before."

"What I want you to do is go to this other world and see if we can put it to use. It seems that the piece of the Royal Scroll that was entrusted into the world was destroyed after an incident. If this works, you may be able to go back and retrieve the Royal Scroll before it was destroyed," Banirith explained.

Lexaeus nodded, and picked up the device. Without a word, he disappeared in a portal with the device. Banirith turned to Io and nodded. Io put his hood back up and disappeared in his own portal. "Come, let us return," Banirith said to the eighth member.

The either member nodded, his hood still concealing his face but the brim of his hat still sticking out from underneath his hood as he and Banirith disappeared in a portal.

* * *

(1) This is Roxas' limit from Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days when he wields both Oblivion and Oathkeeper.

(2) Genie posing as Mario with the Golden Hammer. I thought it would be funny

Chaos- The God of Discord, Chaos had been brought back after being locked away by the power of light from his evil rule. However, his ancient darkness was still no match for the light within Roxas. Chaos was first seen in _Final Fantasy_ in 1990 but his design off his appearance in _Dissadia Final Fantasy_ in 2009

I'm REALLY sorry for not updating, but things have been getting extremely hectic lately and I have had just had no spare time to write which has really made me depressed not being able to move with my credibility. Plus I have other projects I have just been working on. However, I guarantee that two worlds will be completed by Christmas Day. Yay for having goals! Thanks for reading as always, and review of what you thought and if you noticed any errors or if you have any critique.

_Dezblade_


	49. 48: The Dead Man's Chest

NOTE: Sorry I haven't been updating. College gets really busy, not to mention finals are next week. I'm actually going to rush Port Royal a bit because I'm covering both Pirates 2 & 3, and going close to the script. Plus there's some main story points in here. And I still want to finish the world after this by Christmas…so the next chapters most likely will be lengthy but a bit rushed. If there are spelling and grammar errors, it's because I was writing this a fast as I could.

* * *

And now, the story!

Chapter 48: The Dead Man's Chest

Riku was cautious the entire flight as Goofy flew as he knew where this world was, having apparently gone with Sora there on their last adventure. However, things just didn't seem right. True, Yami had helped without question against the Nightmare, but she only agreed with Riku because she wanted the Royal Scroll herself. Riku leaned against the wall in the hallway. He had sent WALL-E to stand nearby by her room and to tell him if anything odd happened. He still didn't quite trust Yami one hundred percent. She used the power of darkness, which could mean anything. Then again, so was Riku, so she probably didn't trust him that much either. Heck, she tried to kill him when they first met, or least Riku thought so. But she was most likely the keyblade wielder that walked the path of darkness, and they would however need her help later on.

A small cry came out from the back of the ship as Riku heard treads moving quickly. He stayed leaned against the wall as WALL-E zoomed by across the floor, hid behind Riku and changed into a cube. Yami walked into view of the hallway. "What the heck was your little robot doing outside of my door?!" she demanded.

Riku stood up straight rather than leaning against the wall. "First off, he's not mine. He's just hitching a ride with us. And he helps fix things on the ship, so he's helpful."

WALL-E peered around Riku and nodded. Yami rolled her eyes. "Not my question, Riku. What was he doing outside my door?"

"Oh, is there drama already?"

Axel had walked into the hall from the opposite end. "Goofy says we're nearly to the world called Port Royal. So you kiddies better behave while we're down there. Got it memorized?"

Yami walked up to Axel, a sneer on her face. "You can't boss my around like I'm some underling. Look, I'm working with you to find the Royal Scroll, that's it. Nothing else. You got _that_ memorized?"

Yami walked past him as he just stared at her walk by. He turned back to Riku. "Why did you pick up such an odd chick?"

"Pick up?" Riku said. "More like convinced her to come with us rather than try to suck me into some kind of vortex."

"Vortex?" Axel asked.

Riku briefly summarized how he had run into her as WALL-E rolled off towards the cockpit. Axel scratched the back his head through all his hair. "You're sure she fought like that?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

"It's odd…they way you mentioned the vortex and explained how she fought…it reminds me exactly of…"

"Who?" Riku asked.

"Naw, maybe my memory is just a bit jumbled. Probably from going to a Nobody to a Soulz, huh? Now let's get to this world and move as fast as possible."

Riku nodded in agreement. "Yeah. The faster we can figure out what's going on, the better."

*****

"Why did we land in this swamp place?" Riku asked. "I thought you've been to this world Goofy?"

Goofy scratched his head. "I know, but I've never been to this place before."

The four sat in a small boat they had found near where they landed and took it down the small creek. As they got further, they came across several village people standing along the edge that stared at them blankly. The four were silent, not sure how to respond as Axel and Riku continued to paddle down. Soon, they came across an odd house or a shack standing above the water. They slowly approached it, and tied up to it when they noticed someone standing watch. The man waved his arms, and looked like he was going to say something, but seemed not able to. A parrot on his shoulder than began to talk. "Rawk! People here! People here!" it said.

"Yes, thank you Captain Obvious," Axel said.

"That's Captain Sparrow to you mate."

The four turned to see a man in the oddest clothing with a pistol pointed at them, a bandana over his head. He also carried a jar of something under his other arm. Next to him stood a younger man who was more handsom. "Captain Sparrow! Will!" Goofy said.

"Goofy!" said the young man as he approached him. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Goofy, you've returned no doubt to rejoin the crew, eh?" said the odd one, his pistol now aimed as Axel. "Zola here?"

"Zola?" Yami asked.

"You mean Sora Jack. No, Sora's not here. This is Riku, Yami, and Axel," Goofy introduced.

"Well, splendid, they can help us than," said the odd man putting his pistol away.

Riku didn't like the looks of this at all. "Wait…you're Jack Sparrow?"

"CAPTAIN! Captain Jack Sparrow," the man insisted.

"You're a pirate?" Yami asked.

"You've never heard of me?" the pirate captain said. "Surprising. Perhaps I should tell you a tale, hey cutie," Jack said coming closer to Yami.

She quickly slapped the pirate across his face as he turned around from the slap. "Don't quite understand why I deserved that one," he said to himself.

"Look, we don't have any time to tell stories. We have to get moving," Will said.

"Wait a minute…you guys were the pirates that Luxord had run problem with," Axel realizing where he had heard the names before.

Jack took sudden interest in Axel. "The man who destroyed the other ship? How do you know him?"

Will interrupted again. "There is no time. We have to get back to the Black Pearl now!"

"What happened Will?" Goofy asked.

"Dear Will is right. We must set off at once! To the Pearl!" The pirate said at once heading for his small boat tied up as well.

Riku shook his head. "I really don't like where this is going.

*****

"Remember you said when you didn't like where this was going?" Yami said as the sea creature pirates surrounded Riku, herself, and Will Turner on the part of the wrecked ship.

"Not now. We got worse things to deal with," Riku said trying to come up with a plan.

The pirates slowly stepped out of the way, small heartless also scurrying through the watery, broken down ship back towards the Flying Dutchman that had come out of the water. Slowly, Riku heard odd footsteps approaching them. Soon, in sight came a monstrosity compared to the odd pirates that resembled sea creatures in front of him. What used to be a man's face more resembled a slimy green face of a tentacle beard, one hand now completely a lobster claw. He must have been the captain. He leaned down at one of the few wounded pirates that was one the broken ship that Will, Riku, and Yami had encountered when first coming on. "Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you... an escape."

"Don't listen to him!" said Riku.

The captain turned to look at Will, Riku, and Yami. "Where did you three come from? None of you are dead are dying!"

"Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt," Will said, saying advice he had received as if he should be caught.

The captain took a double take. "What is your purpose here?"

"Jack Sparrow. He sent us to settle his debt."

The pirate slowly leaned up from where he was crouching and turned towards where the Black Pearl hid in the shadows of the night, Captain Sparrow looking through his spyglass. He could see Jones turn towards him. As he put it down, the sea-creature captain stood in front of him. Two sea pirates came up out of now where also on the deck, each one drawing a blade up to the throat of Goofy and Axel. Both were shocked, and didn't try to make a move.

"Davey Jones. Oh." Sparrow said.

"You have a debt to pay. You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement," said Davey Jones walking around Jack Sparrow.

"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon."

"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?"

Jack tried to come up with a comeback to the statement, but couldn't and decided to worry about the matter on hand. "You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there."

"One soul is not equal to another."

"Aha! So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price."

Dave Jones spit in defiance. "Don't judge me, Jack Sparrow. I could easily just take you and make a heartless."

"Now I certainly wouldn't like that. Now just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?"

"One hundred souls. And you have three days."

"You're a diamond, mate. Send me back the three, I'll get started right off."

"I keep them. A good-faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-seven more to go!" Davey Jones added with a laugh.

Quickly, Davey Jones and the two sea pirates disappeared from the Black Pearl, Goofy coughing trying to get his breath back as Axel rubbed his neck. "What is it with you and you pirates? Now you left them to their doom!" Axel said.

"Let tell you something mate," Sparrow said walking up to Axel. "Never trust a pirate. We're going to go to Tortuga, get an old friend of mine to help us get some people to 'join our crew' and we get ninety- seven souls, and we're out of the gutter. Sound good?"

The captain went to walk off, but Axel grabbed him by his arm and lifted up Sparrow's arm to show a dark spot on his arm. "A black spot," Axel murmured. "You really are way over your head. This is a spot of darkness. Whatever oath you took, if you don't finish it, you'll wind up as a heartless!"

Jack slightly shoved Axel off. "You know more than I thought. But we'll get those ninety-some souls, and we won't have to worry about a thing."

"You mean a hundred Jack!" Goofy said. "We need to get Will, Riku, and Yami back."

"Um…right you are Goofy!" Captain Jack Sparrow said uneasily. "Now set course for Tortuga!"

As the anchor was raised, Axel stood by the edge of the ship as he saw the three being lead onto the Flying Dutchman as it disappeared into the fog. He gripped the edge of the ship. This was getting way out of hand. Jack was just to wacky in Axel's opinion for this to even to work. He also knew that Goofy probably won't like the idea of getting a hundred people.

Than something hit Axel like a ton of bricks. Davey Jones never specified on the souls. He just said souls, but the way the two captains talked, it sounded like humans. But souls…Soulz…they were the same thing just in different forms. "Goofy!" Axel yelled out.

Goofy walked over. "What is it Axel?"

"Do we have any idea to contact the Sora and the others on other worlds?"

Goofy scratched his head for a second. "Yeah, why?"

*****

"You want us to what?" Sora said over the communicator of the Gummi Ship.

Axel sighed before he turned back on the radio like device Goofy had given him. "You need to get soulz A.S.A.P. and capture soulz using the keyblade. The others who have keyblades can do it as well. I can do something that will work just like when the Organization has when they tricked you into getting hearts with the keyblade to make Kingdom Hearts. We need to get 100 soulz in less than three days, or we've lost Riku and Yami."

"Alright Axel, we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Good. Over and out."

Axel gave the radio back to Goofy and shuffled through his cloak. Slowly, he pulled out a dark green orb. Slowly, he cautiously put it at the stern of the Black Pearl, and slowly lit on fire. Soon, the orb changed to a golden color and gave off a slight shine. Soon, a quick glimmer appeared on the orb. Axel grinned. "One already done. Now we just need to find more." Axel than grabbed the radio from Goofy again to send a similar message to Roxas.

As soon as he finished the message, he was about to pocket the radio when he noticed something. Slowly, he looked into the dark waters, looking beneath the surface of the waves. In the dim light from the single soul, he could see a silvery, slimy creature under the water. Quickly, it bolted off beneath the water before Axel could get a better look. Axel's memories jumbled in his head as he tried to put the pieces together. "No…it's dead." He told himself, but he wasn't quite so sure.

*****

"Is this ship alive or something?" Yami said, looking with disgust in the small prison cell in the bottom of the Flying Dutchman.

Riku looked around where he stood, his feet in water. Everything looked like it was covered in algae or seaweed, or something of the sort. However, they couldn't unlock the cell they had been locked in for the lock was on the outside in a very odd place making it hard to unlock it with either of their keyblades. Yami, still had her arms around the bars, trying to figure out the lock, when footsteps started coming down. Quickly, she stepped back from the edge and pretended to be starting at the wall, arms crossed.

However, Will, came down, his shirt torn in pieces as two pirates brought him into the cell, threw him into the water, and locked back up the cell. Riku ran over to Will, and helped him back up. On doing so, he noticed gashes on his back. "You were whipped!" Riku said.

Yami, looked over her shoulder only when more footsteps came down the stairs as will told about in incident on deck during the storm. A pirate that actually appeared more human than the rest approached the cell, a starfish over one of his eyes. "What do you want?" Yami asked in an annoyed tone.

"William…" said the pirate.

"I don't need your help!" Will said quickly.

"The bosun prides himself on cleaving flesh from bone with every swing," the pirate explained.

"So I'm to understand what you did, was an act of compassion!" Will said.

"Wait, he's the one who whipped you!" Riku said.

"Yes." said the pirate answering both of them.

"Just who are you anyways?" Yami asked.

"They call me Bootstrap Bill, but I-"

"He's my father," Will finished the sentence.

After a short discussion, and Bootstrap letting them out of the cell, they sat on a wooden bench after Bootstrap had explained his story of ending up as a crewmember of the Flying Dutchman and explained how each crewmen was soon doomed because of their oaths taken to serve. "One hundred years before the mast, losing your world bit by bit, until you end up...end up like poor Wyvern here. Once you've sworn an oath to the Dutchman, there's no leaving it. Not until your debt is paid."

Yami looked at the wall the outline of Wyvern as part of the wall. "That was a person?!"

"We don't have an oath," Riku said.

"Then you must get away."

"No." Will said.

"Uh, no, we should leave," Yami said. "Look, first we were betrayed, if we swear an oath we're stuck here, plus there's numerous heartless on this ship. There's more than meets the eye here."

"Not until I find this," Will said, pulling out a cloth that had an old drawing of an extremely fashioned key.

Suddenly, the outline of the pirate called Wyvern opened its eyes and moved forward. Yami jumped up and backed up in surprise, summoning Dark Whisper. Riku was a bit freaked out that he could still see the pirates brain in the wall. "The Dead Man's Chest!" the pirate said wearily.

"What do you know of this?" Will asked.

"Open the chest with the key, and stab the heart. No, don't stab the heart. The Dutchman needs a living heart, or there'll be no Captain. And if there's no Captain, there's no one to have the key."

"So…the Captain has the key?" Riku said, somewhat confused.

"Where is the key?!" Will said.

"Hidden," said the pirate as he merged back into the wall.

"Where is the chest?"

"Hidden."

The pirate had gone back into the wall. "Dead Man's Chest?" Riku asked.

"Like I said, there's more here. What's going on here?" she questioned to Will.

"You don't know much about Davey Jones, do you two?" said Bootstrap, as he began to explain the legend of Davey Jones.

*****

The Black Pearl pulled up to the dock, a man quickly running up to it. "Captain! It's been forever since I last saw you!" he said.

"Gentleman," Captain Sparrow said to Axel and Goofy, "This here would be Mr. Gibbs. He's a great help to me. Mr. Gibbs, we need people, fast!" Captain Jack said as he took Mr. Gibbs and lead him into Tortuga. Goofy started to follow them, but stopped when he saw Axel walking in a different direction towards the edge of the island. "Hey Axel, where are you going?"

Axel turned to Goofy slightly. "I've…I want to get another message to the others. I'm to go where there's not so much noise." Axel said motioning towards the main part of Tortuga.

Goofy nodded. "Awright Axel, just come back as soon as you can," Goofy said, and ran off after Captain Sparrow.

Axel watched Goofy for a second, and then turned to walk along the shore, pulling up his hood, concealing his identity. He slowly walked the beach as the lights slowly grew dimmer as he approached a large amount of rocks on the seaside, a small cave at an inlet. As Axel approached it, a number of heartless came from the ground. Axel looked at them, and quickly blasted fireballs at them, quickly finishing them off. He walked to the entrance of the cave. He spun his right hand around as he created a small ring of fire at the entrance of the cave, giving a flicking light to the dark cavern.

"I know you're here somewhere," Axel said. "I know somehow you've followed me."

Slowly, a dark substance began to drip down from the ceiling of the cave. Slowly, the goo stretched to reveal a humanoid form, small horns sticking backwards from its head, and a tipped tail emerging from it as well. Red eyes slowly opened. Axel stared at it, his soul slightly quivering just like an increased heartbeat. _Why keep your hood over your face?_

Axel sighed. "You know too well why I keep my face from you, Shade."

*****

"Thank you, ha-yuk!" Goofy said as the last person signed up to be on the crew, sitting next to Mr. Gibbs.

"How are we going?" Jack asked, sitting against the wall.

"Including those four? That gives us…four." Mr. Gibbs said.

Another person walked up to the small desk that Goofy and Mr. Gibbs sat at. "And what's your story?" Goofy said.

"My story. It's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." The man said as he took a swig of rum.

"Commodore Norrington?" Gibbs said in surprise.

"No, not anymore! Weren't you listening? I nearly had you all off Tripoli. I would have, if not for that hurricane!" he said in an growing angry voice as Captain Sparrow tried to sneak away by hiding his face with a plant.

" Lord, you didn't try to sail through it?"

" Sir, do I make your crew or not? You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice!" he said as he pushed the table over causing Mr. Gibbs and Goofy to fall over onto the floor. "So, am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow? Or should I just kill you now?" Norrington said as he spun and pointed a pistol at Jack, who was still trying to hide behind the plant.

" You're hired," said the captain.

"That's our captain you're threatening!" said one of the newly signed up pirates.

And soon, an enormous bar fight broke out. "Time to go!" Jack said.

"Aye," agreed Mr. Gibbs.

Goofy quickly backed into a corner, with his shield in front of him, protecting him from the shattered glass flying around and the drunken men fighting each other. Meanwhile, Jack Sparrow moved throughout the fight, trying on a hat from someone fighting. He than came across a group of men ready to throw another. "Stop!" said the captain, quickly put the hat on the man about to be thrown, and then walked off saying, "Carry on."

Norrington continued to fight off some men, and eventually got them off so they were in a circle around him. "Come on. Who wants some? Form an orderly line, I'll have you all one by one! Come on, who's first?"

A hand reached from behind and grabbed the bottle of rum in his hand, and knocked him over the head with it. Norrington fell to the ground unconscious as all the men looked at what appeared to be a young lad. "I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself," said the lad, and all the men cried out in a cheer.

Goofy than quickly ran out of the building, following Captain Jack Sparrow and Gibbs. They prepared to get ready to leave with the few new volunteers and new supplies for the ship. Soon, two figures walked up as Captain Jack was talking to Gibbs. "Captain Sparrow!" said a young lad as the other, who was Norrington leaning over the edge of the dock.

"Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard."

"I've come to find the man I love."

Jack looked strangely at Gibbs. "I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea."

"Meaning William Turner, Captain Sparrow," the person, taking off their hat to reveal it was a woman.

"Elizabeth!" Goofy said.

"Elizabeth!" Jack said in surprise, then quickly whispered to Gibbs, "Hide the rum."

"Will came looking for you Jack, where is he?" Elizabeth asked.

"Darling, I'm truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press ganged into Davy Jones' crew," Jack said, trying to sound honest.

"Davey Jones?"

"Oh please," said Norrington. "The captain of the Flying Dutchman," but stopped before he could say more as he got sick on the side of the deck.

"It's true."

Elizabeth turned around quickly to see someone a red cloak. "Who are you?"

"Don't worry Elizabeth, he's a friend. This is Axel," Goofy explained as Axel took back his hood.

"Got it memorized?"

"Jack," Elizabeth said turning back to Sparrow, "all I want is to find Will."

"Is that what you really want the most?" The pirate said stepping closer.

"Of course."

"Well, you see, there's this chest," Jack continued to say even though Norrington sighed, "and within it is the heart of Davey Jones. However has his heart can control the Flying Dutchman, including letting dear William escape from this fate of his."

"Well, how do we find this?"

"With my compass."

"You mean the one's that broken?" Norrington said before getting sick again.

"True, this compass doesn't point north. What it points to is what you want the most in the world."

"Really captain?" Goofy asked as Axel just shook his head as he climbed aboard.

"And what you want, Elizabeth, is to find this chest of Davey Jones, right?"

"To find Will," Elizabeth said taking the compass into her hand.

"By finding the chest of Davey Jones," Jack said, and then quickly stepped back.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and concentrated, and soon, the compass moved till it pointed in one direction. Jack peered over the compass. "Mr. Gibbs! We have our heading."

"Finally!" Gibbs said. "Cast away the lines! Goofy, get to the anchor."

"Aye!" Goofy said running onto the ship.

"Miss. Swan," Jack mentioned Elizabeth to the Black Pearl as she climbed aboard, with Norrington trotting behind.

Jack was about to board when he heard an odd noise. He spun around do see an odd ship come down from the sky and land on the seashore. Jack blinked. "I must be dreaming. But wait, there's no rum. Can't be dreaming."

"Captain!" came a voice.

Jack looked at the edge of the dock as he saw four teenagers running towards him. "Zola!" he said upon recognizing the one in the lead.

"It's Sora!" said the keyblade master finally reaching the pirate.

"Sora!" Goofy said from upon the ship.

"Goofy, how's it going?" Neku asked.

Axel appeared on the edge of the ship. "Looks like you guys gathered a good number of souls, but you've got to come with us now. Things are getting nuts."

"Like what?" Valdamar said as he looked at Jack Sparrow.

"This is Jack Sparrow?" Kairi said to Sora.

"Captain!" Sora and Jack said at the same time.

"Captain Jack Sparrow if you please," said the pirate. "And who would these be Sora? More friends of yours?"

"Can we get going….captain?" Axel said.

"Red hair is right! He must be moving on the double. We've got that chest now, don't we?" Jack said climbing aboard.

"Chest?" Valdamar said.

"Things got weird after I made contact with you," Axel said, "now get aboard!"

*****

Will came back out from the Davey Jones' room, sliding a key into his shirt, Riku and Yami tensely watching for coming pirates next to Bootstrap. "Here, take this too," Bootstrap said the Will as he handed him his old knife. "Now get yourself to land and stay there. It was always in my blood to die at sea, but it was not a fate I ever wanted for you."

"It's not a fate you had to choose yourself," Will said, for they had only been able to find about the location of the key at the loss of Bootstrap being restrained to a service of eternity.

"I could say I did what I had to when I left you to go pirating, but it would taste a lie to say it wasn't what I wanted. You owe me nothing, Will. Now go."

"They'll know you helped us," Riku said.

"What more could they do to me?" Bootstrap said, a small smile on his face.

"I take this with a promise. I'll find a way to sever Jones' hold on you and not rest until this blade pierces his heart. I will not abandon you. I promise," Will said, before he started down the stairs, Riku and Yami following behind.

They were just about to board a makeshift raft they had prepared when Yami froze for a moment. "Yami, what is it?" Riku said.

"You don't sense it?" Yami said.

Riku stopped what he was doing, and smelled something. He could hardly smell the darkness that Yami must of noticed, but it seemed powerful, whatever it was. "We've got move Will, and fast." Riku said.

They hoisted they're old and weakened sail as Yami created gusts of wind that blew them away from the Flying Dutchman. In the early rays of the morning sun, however, they finally spotted a ship where they were rescued and given some food. "Just how did you three get this far out in the ocean on just a simple raft?" The captain questioned them as they had a small amount of food.

"Just put as many leagues behind us as you can, as fast as you can," Will said as shivered slightly underneath a blanket.

Suddenly, a sailor burst in. "Captain, there's a ship approaching!"

"Colors?" the captain asked.

"She's not flying any!"

"Pirates!" the captain cursed.

"Or worse," Yami said.

They all ran out onto the deck as the crews scrambled to get the ship moving faster, but Riku and Yami noticed blobs of darkness surfacing on the ship as pirate heartless appeared on the deck. "Heartless!" Riku said, retrieving Road to Dawn and Yami readied Dark Whisper.

Will looked out to see the ship. "I've doomed us all. It's the Flying Dutchman!" Will said.

On the Flying Dutchman, the sea pirates stood around, a group holding Bootstrap back as Davey Jones looked upon the ship. "You will watch this! Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no man look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake...the Kraken!"

"NO!" Bootstrap yelled, but he could not do a thing.

The sea pirates began to turn a device in the center of the ship as it became larger as they began to summon the Kraken from the depth of the ocean. Back on the other ship, Riku and Yami fought off the heartless that had appeared onboard but the entire ship lurtched for a second as nearly everyone as thrown off their feet, as Riku fell down, he actually say the heartless retreating, jumping over the side of the ship. "What the?"

"We've hit a reef!" said a sailor.

Riku than becomed stunned by a great sense of darkness as Yami fell to the floor from the force of the darkness. "What is going on?" Riku asked Yami.

Yami actually looked somewhat terrified. "I don't know. It's like the Nightmare…but different."

Suddenly, an enormous tentacle came from the sea and grabbed the captain and plunged him into the sea. "KRAKEN!" a crewmember shouted.

More tentacles began to stretch aboard the ship, destroying it and grabbing crewmembers. "We need to get out of here!" Will said.

Riku nodded, helped Yami up, and the three ran around, trying to escape. One tentacle, however, managed to trip Riku and than grab him by his feet. Crying out in surprise, he shot Dark Firagra at it, which caused it to lose its grasp on him as he fell back towards the ship. Before he landed, Yami sent a strong gust of wind causing Riku to land safely, and distracting the tentacles of the Kraken for a second. Quickly, the three got near the edge of the ship and jumped before two of the tentacles crashed across the ship causing it to sink down. The three swam underwater, looking for somewhere to go as they all his under a broken part of the ship hull. They can quickly hid upon the Flying Dutchman as they could hear Davey Jones from above.

"The chest is no longer safe. Chart a course for Isla Cruces. Get me there first or there'll be the devil to pay," Jones said.

"First?" asked a sea pirate.

"Who sent that thieving charlatan onto my ship? Who told them of the key? Jack Sparrow!"

* * *

Davey Jones – Captain of the Flying Dutchman and ruler of the Kraken. He has been changed by the sea based off an oath he broke to guide the dead to their rest and can only set foot upon land once every ten years. However, his heart lies within a chest, that if anyone possessed it, they would control the Flying Dutchman. He first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_ in 2006.

Bootstrap Bill- The father of William Turner, and a crewman aboard the Flying Dutchman. He was once a under Captain Jack Sparrow, but that was a long time ago before the mutiny and he was also sent down to the seas after trying to stand up for Jack. To stop death, he vowed to work for Davey Jones. He first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_ in 2006.

Mr. Gibbs- A sailor and than a pirate, Gibbs has always been a good friend of Jack's and is always ready to assist the captain. He first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl_ in 2003.

Norrington- Once Commodore Norrington, but lost everything when chasing after Jack Sparrow into a hurricane. He now has been reduced to practically nothing, and even now has decided to work as a pirate under Captain Sparrow. He first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl_ in 2003.

As I said at the beginning of the chapter, life has been busy, So I'll pretty much finish the second Pirates movie next chapter, and then do a quick run through of the third movie, so the third movie won't be close as detailed as the second, but I promise it to still be good.

In other Kingdom Hearts news, it has been confirmed that Zack Fair will be in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep in the Olympus Coliseum. OH YEAH! WHO CALLED IT? Anways, he looks a bit younger in the game, more around Sora or Riku's age, but he still looks like he training to become a SOLDIER and is even seen fighting alongside Terra. Thank you Square Enix.

In the meantime, I wish to get this going as much as I could. Thanks for being patient as always, and tell me what you think of this mega chapter.

_Dezblade._


	50. 49: The Kraken

_NOTICE: REALLY LONG CHAPTER_

Chapter 49: The Kraken

Will and Yami were asleep in the front of the Flying Dutchman as Riku stayed awake on the lookout. HE always tensed up as he heard a crewmember walking above or had a faint smell of darkness, but either one turned away and he relaxed as his eyes somewhat dropped. He then hear movement as he quickly to his left to see Yami sitting up slightly from where she had been leaning against the side of the ship. "Nothing?" she said quietly.

Riku nodded. "Nothing," he replied silently.

Yami thought to herself. "So…where the Royal Scroll on this world then. I mean, we haven't got any leads on where it might be. Everything so far we've run into has just got us into more trouble."

Riku sighed. "I think that's what happens no matter where I go."

Yami stretched her right arm and put out her hand out in front of her. Slowly, a small orb of darkness appeared in her hand. Riku immediately became alert as he smelled not just the darkness from the orb, but small approaching scents he could guess were heartless. "Are you crazy? Stop that!"

Yami shot Riku a mean glance. "I know what I'm doing, now shut up."

Soon, three Shadows discovered their spot as Riku summoned Road to Dawn. "No!" Yami said. "You do anything like that you'll alert the crew!"

"What are you doing?!" Riku said through his teeth, desperately wanting to rid of the heartless.

"Just shut up and watch!"

Slowly, Yami extended her arm with the orb towards the Shadows. One slowly crept nearer, although it made no move to attack. It simply reached out onto the orb. Suddenly, it was sucked into the small vortex. The other two followed suit and were absorbed as well. Yami sighed as she leaned back against the ship. "That's better," she said as sighed.

Silently, Riku dismissed his keyblade and sat down next to Yami, the scent of darkness around her slightly stronger. "What did you do? And why?"

"You don't trust me. You never have. Why should I start to trust you?"

"If I don't trust you and you don't trust me, than why did you help fight the Nightmare and decide to join us?"

"Like I told you, all I want is the Royal Scroll. That's the only reason I'm working with you is because we both want it."

Riku was silent for a second. "Why do you want it? I'm pretty sure that it's not the same reason as us."

She sighed. "Look, do you know about the whole deal with an original keyblade forger and he made all the keyblades and so forth? Alright, well according to legend, he had an apprentice who later became a dark keyblade wielder, although not in his intentions. So, he sought a way to loosen the darkness hold on him, but still be in the dark itself. Apparently, he found out that there was something that could achieve this: the Crystal of Darkness."

Riku's eyes widened for a moment. He had remembered Maleficent mentioning the Crystal of Darkness before saying it could bring the greatest power of darkness to anyone who possessed it, or rid something of darkness and absorb the darkness itself if deemed so. Maleficent had once sent to him to a world to fins it, but he never did find it because he had ended up finishing Kairi and returned at once. "So you've heard of it before," Yami said. "Well, you must have found it because you don't seem to have a problem with the darkness. You see…the darkness…" Yami trailed off for a little bit. "I've never been able to tell anyone but…it surrounds me. It always has. It has such a hold on me if I don't grow on darkness, it will take over me. That's why I need the Royal Scroll, for apparently the apprentice had written a code on part of his master's scroll on how to obtain the Crystal of Darkness or where it could be found. So either I have to find out for myself, or you can tell me what you did with it."

"I have never seen the Crystal of Darkness," Riku said. "I wasn't really ever released from the darkness. I'm just separate. My darkness is my own darkness in my own heart, and no one can influence it."

"Humph. What a jolly situation. Mind if you tell me how to do so?" Yami asked.

Before Riku said anymore, the ship moved violently causing them to stumble and Will to wake up. "What's going on?" he asked.

Riku looked out into the sea to see they were nearby an island, and that the Flying Dutchman was leaning forward. "Get out! It's heading underwater!" Riku said, and ran with Yami and Will behind him. Quickly they jumped into the sea as the Flying Dutchman sank underneath the water. The three treaded in at the surface of the waves, catching their breath. "Quick, to the land," Will said as they began to swim towards Isla Cruces.

*****

Kairi and Neku stood by the rowboat looking flabbergasted as they saw the Flying Dutchman dive right into the sea. "Uh…that's not supposed happen, is it? I thought this was a bunch of pirates here?" Kairi said.

"If there's a undead monkey on our ship, I think there's a few more things possible than we thought could be possible," Neku said. "Let's quick tell the others."

The two more inland as they saw Captain Jack, Elizabeth, and Sora all standing around Norrington as he was digging in the sand. "Sora! We've got a problem!"

"What do you mean Kairi?"

"Like a freaking ship diving into the water," Neku replied.

Before anyone could say anything, there came a thump from where Norrington was digging. Everyone froze for a second, than Jack and Norrington quickly uncovered the dirt to reveal a chest and brought it up onto the sand. Quickly, Jack opened the chest and lifted it. Inside, there were old scraps of paper, old roses and an even smaller chest. A thumping noise could be heard from within the smaller chest. However, Kairi then noticed a piece of parchment with symbols on it sticking out from the side of the chest. "Sora, is that it?" Kairi asked.

Sora pulled out the part of the Royal Scroll they had received after defeating Syndrome, and brought it up next to the parchment sticking out of the chest. They symbols were familiar. "It is!"

"Wait, what is that doing with the heart of Davey Jones?" Neku asked.

"So the legend is true. You actually were telling the truth," Norrington said, still surprised.

"I do that quite a lot. You people are always so surprised," said the captain.

"And with good reason!"

"Riku?" Sora said turning.

There stood Riku, Will, and Yami, all standing on the small sand dune completely soaked and breathing heavily. "Will! You're all right! Thank God!" Elizabeth said running up to Will and hugging him.

Yami meanwhile quick summoned a breeze that somewhat dried them off. "What are you doing here?" Yami asked.

"Axel called for us. Said things got out of hand."

"He sure got that right." Riku said.

"How did you get here?" Captain Jack said.

"Sea turtles, mate. A pair of them strapped to my feet," Will said.

Riku was about to say something in opposition, but decided against it as he and Yami walked towards Captain Jack. "Not so easy, is it mate?" said Jack.

"But I do owe you thanks, Jack."

"You do?"

"After you tricked us on the ship to square your debt with Jones-"

"What?" Elizabeth said.

"What?" Sora said.

"Long story, Sora. You wouldn't believe half of it," Riku said.

"What?" Jack said trying to sound innocent.

"-I was reunited with my father."

"You're welcome then."

"Every world you told me was a lie!" Elizabeth said at Jack.

"Pretty much. Time and tide, love." Jack said.

Will slowly approached the chest, got on his knees, and pulled out the knife he had received from his father. "What are you doing?" Kairi asked.

"I'm going to kill Jones."

Quickly, Jack pulled out his sword and pointed it at Will. "I can't let you do that, William. 'Cause if Jones is dead, who's going to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh? Now if you will, the key."

Quickly, Will grabbed the sword that Elizabeth had at her side and pointed it back at Jack, the key still in his hand. "I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father, and I hope you're here to see it."

Norrington then pulled out his sword. "So sorry. I can't let you do that either."

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually," Jack said.

However, Norrington's sword quickly moved to Jack. "Lord Beckett desires the contents of that chest. I deliver it, I get my life back."

"Ah, the dark side of ambition," said Jack.

"What?" Yami said.

"Believe me, you wouldn't get half of it," Kairi said to her.

"Oh, I see it as the promise of redemption," Norrington said.

All three were about to swing their swords when Riku jumped in-between them and blocked all other their swords with his keyblade. "Riku!" Sora said in surprise.

"You're all nuts!" he said. "Look, we all don't want to be attacked by Jones, right?"

"Quiet you," Norrington said. "If one of us has the heart, he can't touch us."

"Alright, fine, have it your way. Jack gets the heart first to call of the Kraken, Norrington brings it to this guy, and then Will stabs it, we all go home happy, right?" Riku said trying to make sense out of this mess.

"Sorry, won't work mate," Jack said. "You see if Becket gets the heart, he will than will control Jones and all the seas. That's bad news for every mother's son who calls himself a pirate."

"And I won't be able to get the heart back," Will said.

Jack than swung his sword at Riku. However, Sora quickly jumped in and blocked the blow with Ultima Weapon. "Sorry captain, but I can't let you hurt Riku."

Norrington swung for Riku, but he turned around and blocked the blow. Will then went for the chest, but a black keyblade stopped him short. "Give me the key, Will," Yami said. "All I care about is the piece of paper in there with the chest. Do what you want with the heart, I don't care. But if you don't I don't mind breaking a few bones."

"Duck!"

Yami quickly ducked as Norrington's sword sliced over where their heads were, but the tip of the sword managed to snatch the key out of Will's grasp. However, Sora jumped in and tried to stop Norrington only to have Jack bump into both of them and grab the key as it flew in the air. "Thank you there Zola," Jack said as he then began to run inland.

"It's Sora for the last time!" Sora said getting up and running.

"What is wrong with all of you?!" Kairi said in astonishment.

"You can't stop me!" Yami said giving chase as well.

Norrington kicked sand in Will's face before he could get back up. "By your leave, Mr. Turner," Norrington said before chasing after Jack, Riku and Yami close behind.

"Elizabeth, guard the chest!" Will said as he ran after the group to get to Jack.

"This is barbaric!...oh, fine! Let's just pull out our swords and start banging away at each other! That'll solve everything! I've had it with wobbly-legged, rum-soaked PIRATES!!!!" Elizabeth said in anger towards those running off.

"This is madness," Neku said. "Does this kind of thing always happen on this world?"

"No, it doesn't," Elizabeth said sitting down in the sand in anger.

"Uh…does that?" Kairi said nervously.

Elizabeth and Neku turned to see pirates that looked like sea creatures walking upon the shore from underneath the water.

"No, that doesn't usually either," Elizabeth said.

The three began to run, but Elizabeth stopped. "The chest!"

She ran back and grabbed it and began to run with it, Kairi and Neku beside her. "Jack took my sword, I won't be able to fight back!" she said.

Kairi summoned Blossoming Heart as Neku's hands glowed yellow. "We've got that covered, don't worry."

*****

**Neku's Playlist: He's a Pirate (Pete 'n Red's Jolly Rodger Trance Mix) from Pirates Remixed – EP**

Jack ran into an abandoned church with Norrington and Riku on his heels. As soon as Jack walked in, Yami smacked him right in the face causing Jack to stumble. "I'll take that," she said as she grabbed the key and jumped up with wind magic propelling her up.

However, Riku used a portal of darkness to appear above Yami and rammed her back to the ground, grabbing the key. "What was that for? I thought we're on the same side!"

"Same side? You don't care what happens to any of us. You're worried about yourself and how opening that chest will change your life."

"Which one of us are you talking too?" Jack said getting up, his sword under Riku's chin. "Come on Raky, now just give me the key."

Before Riku could correct the pirate, Sora jumped in and grabbed the key from Riku's hand. "Ha! Beat you too it!"

"Sora, what do you even want the key for?" Yami said.

"Without the Royal Scroll we'll-"

"I'll take that," Norrington said as he clutched the key from Sora's hand as he was distracted and dangled the key away from Sora, teasing him.

Captain Jack quickly drew his pistol and fired at Norrington, but missed and hit the string holding up supports. One rope began go up the pulley and Will jumped in and grabbed on, also snatching the key from Norrington on the way up. "By your leave, Mr. Norrington," Will said and ran by the church bell.

However, Yami glided up to the bell tower and crying out shot a blast of darkness at Will. He rolled away as the blast hit the old bell as it moved back and forth, ringing. Sora was the first to reach the top and blocked Yami's second blast at Will. "Yami, what are you doing?!" Sora yelled.

Norrington quickly ran up past Sora and Yami as he began to duel swords with Will. Yami glared at Sora as the Keyblade master actually felt scared by what Yami was doing. Slowly, a mist of visible darkness began to reek from her as her keyblade glowed black. Riku jogged up and gasped. "Sora, what did you do?"

Sora pushed Yami back and jumped back to Riku in a defensive stand. "She tried to hit Will with Darkness and I stopped her."

The darkness surrounded her more as it soon enveloped her. Jack ran up, saw the darkness, and ran after Will and Norrington quickly without a word. As Jack ran past the two fighting on the rooftop, he managed to grab the key from Will's hand. However Norrington quickly turns around and knocked Jack's sword off the roof as Norrington and Will both pointed their swords at Jack who held his hands up slightly. "Do excuse me while I kill the man who ruined my life," Norrington said.

"Be my guest," said Will.

"Let us examine that claim for a moment, former Commodore, shall we? Who was it who, at the very moment you had a notorious pirate safely behind bars, saw fit to free said pirate, and take your dearly beloved all to his self? So whose fault is it really that you've wound up a rum-pot deckhand what takes orders from pirates?" Jack said backing up slowly towards the edge of the roof.

"Enough!"

Norrington swung his sword at Jack, who somersaulted off of the roof, still holding the key in his hand. "Unfortunately, Mr. Turner, he's right!" Norrington said turning around and beginning to duel with Will.

"Still rooting for you, mate," Jack said as he began to walk off victorious, but didn't see where he was walking and feel straight into a grave hole. "Oh."

*****

"And take that back with you!" Valdamar said bringing down the weakened palm tree with his whip.

The already broken tree cracked from its base and fell upon the three awaiting heartless and squished them flat. He and Axel had ventured further inland when Axel said he thought he saw something escape inland. When they got inland they had come across one of the Seekers, Luxord. "Come back to this place again, huh Luxord?" Axel said.

"Only because a part of the Royal Scroll is here. And since I have what is deemed, 'expertise' in this world, I was sent to scout. But you and your friend here have caused more than enough trouble. Therefore, I offer you a deal."

"More like a bet," Axel had whispered to Valdamar in warning.

But before Luxord could give the offer, numerous heartless began to appear around them. "It seems that your company has only brought more here. Farewell than," Luxord had said and disappeared.

Since then, the two fought off the two heartless for the past many minutes as Valdamar kept coming up with ways to rid of the heartless without wasting too much of their energy. But now as he and Axel stood back to back, the heartless began to circle around them, mainly Air Pirates and Neoshadows. "Any more bright ideas Mr. Inventor?" Axel said.

"I have one," Vald said putting his blade and whip in the same hand.

Instantly, the heartless drew away and all began to head off in one direction as fast as they could. "What the heck?" Vald said.

"I take it that wasn't you that did that. Come on. Whatever is taking the heartless away has to be something of importance."

*****

**Neku's Playlist: Going Under by Evanescence from Fallen**

The darkness surrounding Yami slowly melted away, but the aura still floated around her. Sora and Riku gasped. Yami had changed from the darkness. Her hair was all over the place, wild and frayed. Her clothing had become dark purple shirt and black shorts, and a small black scar was now wrapped around her neck but spread out behind her like a cape. Her face looked much more pale, and her pupils had become silted like a serpent's as it gave off an evil green stare. "It's like when you changed into that outfit when with Maleficent," Sora said.

"Yeah…except this is worse. She's given over to the dark side of her heart. The darkness may control her more than her normal self."

"Can we get her out of it?"

"We should, but I'm not sure how."

She waved Dark Whisper in slashes in the air as cutting edges of darkness flied at Sora and Riku. Both quickly swung their keyblade and blocked each blast. Dark Yami than blasted five Dark Firagra spells at the two, to where Riku blocked and sent them back as Sora somersaulted to the side. Yami absorbed back the two Dark Firagra blasts and then speed forward at an inhuman speed.

Sora jumped forward to meet on with Yami, keyblades bouncing off of each other. Riku quickly jumped in and brought out his hand to try to take away the dark aura around her. But it wouldn't work as it too late hit Riku that he was his own darkness and couldn't take the normal darkness away like Yami was doing. This resolved in Riku being hit by a blast of darkness and being flown back as he gave a small cry. However, he flipped in midair and landed back on his feet and his free hand. Sora jumped next to Riku. "You alright?"

"I'm fine."

But worse, Riku smelled more scents of Darkness. He turned to see heartless coming towards them. He realized what they were doing. "She summoning them because she gets power from them," Riku said, and then quickly turned to Sora. "Sora, you've got to stop the heartless while I stop Yami from getting closer to them."

Sora nodded. "Got it!"

Sora jumped off the rooftop and held the keyblade downward in a ground stab and went through one Sky Pirate on the way down. He then swiped around him and fought off the approaching heartless. Riku turned back to Dark Yami as she drifted slightly above the ground towards him, her face with no emotion. Riku ran forward with his keyblade and readied to swing Road to Dawn at Dark Yami's head. Dark Yami flipped backwards in a flip, but Riku grabbed the scarf that flowed behind Yami and tugged on it and brought her back. Yami flew over Riku into the bell as it rung again, the sound waves shaking her. The scarf around her neck seemed frayed and coming apart. It also seemed to loosen around her neck. That was it, the scarf. That was the controlling factor of the darkness because it was something added onto Yami rather than something being changed.

Riku lunged forward and stabbed his keyblade in an attempt to piece the scarf, but Dark Yami brought her keyblade in front of him, throwing Riku off. Using her free hand, she grabbed Riku by his collar and threw him up into the air. Riku cried out as he was thrown several yards up into the air, for the darkness had given strength to her as she jumped into the air and began to twirl around. Slowly, a force of wind surrounded her and Riku in a whirlwind vortex. Quickly, Riku squinted from the wind, aimed his keyblade, and chucked it downwards like a javelin. It easily swiped the scarf of her neck and the scarf got blown off into the vortex.

It quickly died down as they both began to fall, Yami fading to her original self, a drained expression coming over her face as her eyes returned to normal. Dark Whisper even fell from Yami's hand as she began to lose consciousness falling towards the ground. Riku shot a blast of Dark Firagra so he fell faster and caught up with Yami. He quickly did as he grabbed her by her waist and braced for the fall. He landed feet first, but the roof was weakened so much now that they fell through as Riku fell upon an old wooden shelf that somewhat broke their fall, but Riku was convinced may have also broke a bone or two. He cringed as he got up and looked at Yami. She was out cold. However, the aura had left her and she looked like her normal self other than her hair still slightly out of place, but Riku figured it was from the fall. "Looking for these?"

Riku looked up to see Axel and Valdamar, Axel holding Riku's keyblade and Vald holding Yami's. "What happened?" Valdamar asked slowly placing Yami's keyblade on the ground, Axel tossing Road to Dawn back to Riku who caught it on instinct, but cringed slightly as he felt slight pain in his wrist.

"Long story," Riku said. "Darkness and such."

"Well, we haven't any time. After we helped Sora finish off those heartless he went after the dueling trio and told us you'd need help. Plus, these wacko sea creatures are poping up on the island," Axel said.

"Davey Jones!" Riku said and dismissed Road to Dawn, and picked up Dark Whisper in his non-broken hand. "Look, Yami's out so I'll have to use her keyblade, but I can't get her out of here."

Valdamar went to sheath his sword, but Axel stopped him. "These guys are fighting close range, so we need someone who's better than that to fend them off. I'll carry her," Axel said as walked over and picked Yami up bridal style.

Riku nodded. "Let's head for the longboat to get back to the Pearl," Valdamar said as the three cautiously walked through because of Riku's injury and Axel carrying Yami.

*****

"Bugger," Jack said looking at his situation.

Sora, Will, and Norrington dueled in a giant water wheel that had come off its axel and was now tumbling across the island. Jack had gotten picked up by his shoulders and head going through the wood. As he tried to get himself off, he saw the key fall from his neck and fall onto a nail where it hung. Quickly, he managed to escape from his hold as he jumped down and began to run on the wheel waiting for the key to come back around. Sora saw this from above in the cross beams and jumped down to Jack. Before either of them could reach for the key, they were both smacked on the head by a cross beam where they both fell out of the wheel from being bumped out.

Elizabeth, Kairi, and Neku ran further inland, out of breath. "You think we lost them?" Kairi asked.

Before Neku could reply, the three stopped and stared as they saw Will and Norrington dueling each other in a massive wooden wheel with Sora and Jack running after it. Without saying anything, Neku reached into one of his pockets, brought out a digital camera, and took a picture of the scene. (1)

They then heard yelling as they turned and saw the sea pirates running towards them. They quickly ran off, Elizabeth accidentally dropping the chest. "The chest!" Neku said.

"Keep going!" Kairi said, "I have a plan."

Meanwhile back with the wheel, Jack and Sora both managed to get back in the giant hamster wheel as they all dueled with their swords and knocking each other back and forth as they spun around. Finally, Will spotted the key hanging off the nail and grabbed it, only to have it quickly grabbed by Jack. Jack also than stuck his arm out of the wheel grabbing a palm tree leaf which flung him out of the wheel and onto the ground. Sora would have gone after him, but Norrington and Will's swords prevented him from doing so as he blocked their dueling blades.

Jack than spotted one sea pirate that had actually managed to grab the chest itself. Upon spying a coconut on the ground, Jack picked it up, and threw it at the pirates head. The pirates head, being a conch shell, popped right off the body and onto the ground. The body instantly dropped the chest and felt around for its head as the head tried to tell its body where the head was. "Oh, shut it," Jack said as he slowly unlocked the chest.

There it was, the heart of Davey Jones, still beating ever slowly, an old piece of parchment next to it what guess was the scroll thing Zola and his friends were searching for. He quickly grabbed both items and put them in his vest as he saw more crewmember of Davey Jones running towards him. "Jar of dirt, jar of dirt…" he kept saying to himself as he ran for the longboat.

Soon on the beach of the island, the wheel finally lost its momentum and toppled over. Slowly Sora, Will, and Norrington all stumbled out dizzy and falling over themselves. As Jack reached the longboat, he could see other of Sora's friends and Elizabeth running towards the longboat as well, more sea pirates following them. He quickly opened the jar of dirt he had, threw some sand out, and threw in the heart along with the piece of parchment. Soon, all of them were fighting off sea pirates as Will, Sora, and Norrington approached the scene. Without a word, Sora rushed in next to Will to stop the pirates as Sora noticed Yami lying down in the longboat. Norrington however saw near the longboat a bile of sand and some letters lying about.

As Will reached the longboat, he noticed that the chest was open and was about to say something before Jack hit over the head with an oar, which sent Will out cold as he landed in the boat. Kairi sent back another pirate feet back with another blast of light. "We can't keep doing this for much longer!" she said.

"Not with the chest," Norrington said as he grabbed the chest and closed it. "Go on, into the boat."

"You're mad!" Elizabeth said.

"Don't wait for me," he said as he ran off with the chest, the sea pirates soon following him.

"I say we respect his final wish," Jack said jumping into the longboat.

"For once, I agree," Axel said as he helped push the boat off back into the water to the pearl.

Soon, they were lifting the longboat aboard the ship, Neku using his telekinesis to bring up the longboat faster. Kairi also helped Sora using some Cure spells to heal Riku's hand, Valdamar also providing some medical tape to wrap around his wrist to help. Yami and Will both slowly started to come back to their senses and sat up. "What happened to the chest?" Will asked.

"Norrington took it to draw them off," Elizabeth explained.

"Sora…Riku…what…happened?" Yami asked. "All I can remember is…this rage. It came out of nowhere."

"You lost temporary control as the darkness began to control you," Sora said.

"Thankfully, I was able to get rid of it," Riku explained. "It's happened to me in the past, so I know what happened."

Yami sighed. "Now you really understand why I need to find the crystal. It's the only way for this to stop. So…wait, where's the chest?"

"We'll tell you later," Sora said as they began to get of the longboat back onto the ship.

A everyone started to climb out as Gibbs and Goofy ran over. "Riku! Yami! Will! You're okay!" Goofy said grabbing the three in a big hug which the quickly broke off from.

"What happened to the Commodore?" Gibbs asked.

"He fell behind," Captain Sparrow said.

"My prayers be with him. Best not wallow in our grief! The bright side is that you're back and made it off free and clear."

Axel had run to the part of the ship where he had the item holding all of the souls collected. He quickly did an estimated count. "Sorry guys, looks like we didn't get enough souls in order to trade back to Davey Jones."

Suddenly, the Flying Dutchman rose from underneath the water and came alongside the Pearl, the entire crew of sea pirates aboard. "Lord on High, deliver us!" Gibbs shouted.

"I'll handle this, mate," Jack said, grabbing his jar of dirt and bringing it forward.

"Why does he have a jar of dirt?" Kairi asked.

"To be honest, I starting to think he doesn't make any sense," Vald said.

"Hey, fish face! Lose something? Congealy..." Jack started, but he fell down the stairs of the ship, but managed to fall down and catch his jar. "Got it!" He quickly got back to his feet as if nothing had happened. "Come to negotiate, eh? You slimy git! Look what I got. I got a jar of dirt! I got a jar of dirt! And guess what's inside it?"

Davey Jones stepped forward in front of his crew. "Enough."

Than all of the cannons appeared on the side of the Flying Dutchman, row by row. "Hard to starboard?" Jack said nervously.

"Hard to starboard!" Elizabeth said as the group rushed to different parts of the ship to get away from the Flying Dutchman.

"Make his pearl sink back to the depths of the sea!" Jones said on his own ship as cannons began to fire at them.

A few managed to hit the Pearl, but nothing major. The Pearl began to get away, but Flying Dutchman wasn't too far behind. "She's on us! She's on us!" Neku said. As he fired some blasts of his own energy back at the Flying Dutchman.

They were getting further away, but than two triple cannons appeared out of the Flying Dutchman, and began to fire several cannonballs at once at the Pearl. "Is that even possible?" Kairi said moving rope on the deck.

"I stop questioning things a while ago," Valdamar said.

"Wait a minute," Yami said as she hung onto a rope looking behind, "They're falling behind."

"Aye, we've got her!' Gibbs said.

" We're the faster?" Will asked.

" Against the wind, the Dutchman beats us. That's how she takes her prey. But with the wind..."

"...we rob her advantage," Riku finished.

" Aye."

Goofy looked from the crow's nest at the Flying Dutchman as the canvas was put down on their chasing ship. "They're giving up!"

Everyone below cheered. Will and Riku walked up to Jack as he looked proud at the stopped ship as he held his odd, precious jar of dirt. "My father is on that ship. If we can outrun her, we can take her."

"Seriously Jack, it's time we fought Jones!" Riku said.

"Why fight when you can negotiate?" Jack said looking at his jar. Suddenly, the Pearl lurched causing Jack to fall and dropped the jar. It broke in several pieces as sand went everywhere and Jack looked horrified as he dug through the sand. "Where is it? Where's the thump-thump?" he said to himself.

"I think we've hit a reef," Goofy said from above.

"No, that's not a reef!" Will said. "Get down from there Goofy! Get away from the rail!"

"What is it?" Neku asked.

"It's the Kraken!" Riku shouted as he ran for the cannons.

"To arms! It'll come on the starboard!" Yami said, following Riku to prepare cannons as well.

Everyone rushed around to prepare the cannons, loading them and reading to fire. Will stood on the steps as they saw giant tentacles raising up over the ports where the cannons shot from, Kairi looking in shook and fright as she grabbed Sora's shirt from behind. "Easy guys…" Will said.

"Will…" Elizabeth said.

"Wait…wait…"

"I think we should attack now!" Sora said, waiting next to his cannon.

"Hold…" Will said.

"You know, I want to live!" Axel yelled form above.

"WILL!" Elizabeth screamed.

"Fire!!" Will shouted.

Everyone set off their cannons as Axel and Neku form above sent blasts of fire at the rising tentacles. Quickly from the shock, the tentacles withdrew and sunk back under the waves. Everyone cheered. "We can't celebrate, It will be back," Will said. "We've got to get off the ship."

Neku quickly zoomed around the edge of the deck, seeing the tentacles had already crushed all of the boats. "There's no more boats!" he said in surprise.

"Pull the grates! Get all the gunpowder into the net!"

Everyone got the idea and got to work grabbing all the barrels in the hold as Will grabbed a rife and handed it to Elizabeth. "Whatever you do, don't miss."

"As soon as you're clear," she said.

Will moved the party to get all of the gunpowder arranged. But Gibbs ran up to him with bad news. "We've only got six barrels of gunpowder."

"Then the rum too."

Gibbs gave him a blank stare. "Aye…the rum."

But even after quickly getting the rum, there still wasn't enough. Axel than realized what they still had. "The souls! It's all we've got!" said the Flurry of Dancing Flames.

Mostly everyone ran to help, except for Elizabeth and Yami as they both stopped for a second as they saw Jack rowing away in the last rowboat. "Oh, you coward," Elizabeth said, and ran off to help the others. Yami contemplated for a moment, and then quickly disappeared through a portal of darkness.

She appeared again in a portal behind Jack and sat landed down in the boat behind him. He jumped at the shift of weight in the boat as he turned around, halfway drawing his sword. "I'm not here to fight," Yami said, "or to force you back. I just need to tell you something. We both have a problem that we've been running from for a while. Only recently I found out that running would make things worse, so I'm trying to solve my problem. Our problems may be different, but seriously think about what you're doing. Just please, look in your heart. From what I've gotten from Riku, it seems to know the best."

Without waiting for a reply, Yami disappeared back to the ship just as it shook violently again. "Not good!" Sora yelled.

"Haul away!" Will yelled while on the net.

"Heave! Heave like you're being paid for it," Gibbs said as nearly everyone began to pull on the ropes as the bundle rose up into the air.

Jack sat in his boat thinking about what Yami said as he saw his ship being attacked by the Kraken. He slowly pulled out his compass and opened it. He looked at it, slightly surprised, put it away, and began to row in his new direction.

Tentacles than began to resurface and began to swipe at the party, as some stopped pulling on the rope to fight the tentacles back. "I hope you can burn!" Axel said sending his charklams blazing through the air.

Valdamar was caught by his feet by a tentacle and lifted up into the air. He brought his trusty sword Banisher through the air and sliced off the tip of the tentacle that held him. As he feel back towards the deck, he slung out his whip to grab the mast so he had a smoother landing and avoided another tentacle.

"Come on, almost there!" Will yelled at those still pulling the ropes as the bundle of gunpowder, rum, and souls was raised higher in the air. However, a tentacle whipped by him as he lost his sword. He began to fall when his foot got stuck in the ropes. He pulled out his knife and tried to free himself. "Elizabeth! Shoot!"

Elizabeth readied the gun, but got grabbed by a tentacle and thrown down. Kairi quickly ran over and swung Blossoming Flower down chopping off the tentacle. Riku jumped into the air to shoot a Dark Firagra at the bundle, but a tentacle grabbed him as well and waved him the air before a dark beam blasted through the tentacle dropping Riku back onto the deck. "I guess we're even," Yami said helping him back up.

Elizabeth crawled to get the gun, but a foot came down on top of the gun, stopping her. She looked up to see Jack, a small smile on his face. She grabbed onto his boot in fright as he picked up the gun, aimed, and fired just as Will freed himself around the bundle that several tentacles hand now grabbed onto. However, it hit a soul that just faded away. Jack than looked completely lost. However, from above, a sizzling rocket came from the sky and blasted into the bundle creating a massive explosion that sent the tentacles back in agony and back into the depths of the waves once again. Sora looked above to see a Gummi Ship making its way down towards the Pearl. Inside the cockpit he could see Roxas, Namine, and Donald all waving at them. "It's the others!" he said.

"Did we kill it?" Neku asked.

"No, we just made it mad. We're not out of this yet," Gibbs said. "Captain! Orders?"

"Abandon ship," he said solemnly.

"Jack! The Pearl."

"She's only a ship mate," Jacks said.

An opening on the Gummi Ship slid away as King Mickey stood there. "Come on fellas! We've got to get moving quickly."

"Look, we can get away, as it takes the Pearl," Will said.

Gibbs sighed. "Aye, abandon ship. Abandon ship or abandon hope," he said.

They began to load upon the Gummi Ship at the stern of the ship. Yami passed by Jack as he looked at his beloved Pearl as a final goodbye. "I see you made up your mind," she said, and headed back to the Gummi Ship.

"We're not free yet, darling," Jack said to her as she walked off.

Elizabeth than approached Jack. "You came back. I always knew you were a good man."

She than began to kiss him a lot and push him back until he was against the mast. Will slightly noticed this before Goofy got in his vision. "Come on Will! We've got to get going before it comes back."

Elizabeth leaned against Jack slightly more, and a click was heard. Jack opened his eyes and looked behind him and saw that he was handcuffed to the mast. "It's after you, not the ship. It's not us. Don't you see? This is the only way. I'm not sorry."

"Pirate."

The one word somewhat scared Elizabeth as she walked off and left Jack handcuffed there. She quickly climbed into the Gummi Ship. "Where's Jack?" Riku asked.

" He elected to stay behind to give us a chance." Everyone on board gave her an odd stare, not completely believing her. "Go!" she said, to where Roxas sighed and turned to the ship's controls.

Meanwhile, Jack tried to get out of the handcuffs. " Bugger, bugger! C'mon!"

He saw a lamp and reached it with his sword, broke it open on the mast and started to drip the oil onto his hand, and was eventually able to slide it out. What he didn't notice was that the Kraken was coming out from the water behind him. Jack turned to see the massive and hideous face of the Kraken's mouth as it roared and spat all over him. Jack slowly whipped the slime from his chest. "Not so bad," he said to himself. He then noticed his old Captain hat had also been spitted out. "Oh!" he said picking it up and putting it back on his head. Fit as comfortably as ever. He grinned as he readied his sword. "Hello, Beastie."

Everyone in the ship stared as they saw the Black Pearl being pulled down into the depths of the ocean as the Kraken pulled it with its mighty tentacles. They stared for a few more seconds before it disappeared and Roxas turned the Gummi Ship away and fly off over the waves.

Back on the Flying Dutchman, Davey Jones watched as the Black Pearl sank under the water. "Jack Sparrow, our debt is settled."  
" The captain goes down with his ship," said one crewmember.  
" Turns out not even Jack Sparrow can best the Devil," said another.  
" Open the chest. Open the chest, I need to see it!" Davey Jones quickly walked over to where his prized chest sat, the key still in it. He quickly turned the key and opened it, and gasped. The crew members behind him all were astonished. The chest was completely empty. "Damn you Jack SPARROW!!!"

*****

"Is there any news on the chest?" asked Lord Beckett as he sat behind his desk.

"None. But, one of our ships did pick up a man adrift at sea. He had these," said a man who dropped some letters and put them on the table. Just than, Norrington walked in, still in his shabby clothes. "I took the liberty of filling in my name."

Beckett summoned him closer." If you intend to claim these, then you must have something to trade. Do you have the compass?"

" Better," Norrington said dropping a sack that moved slowly that had a thumbing noise coming from it. "The heart of Davy Jones."

*****

Everyone now sat at the shack where Riku, Yami, Axel, and Goofy had landed when first arriving. No one was in a cheerful mood over the missing of Captain Jack Sparrow. Tia Dalma, an odd woman who had helped Jack and Will originally finished passing out some drinks to the group, except for Roxas, Namine, and King Mickey who stood out by Gummi Ship, making some minor adjustments and repairs. "Against the cold, and the sorrow," Tia Dlama said turning to Will. "It's a shame. I know you're thinking that with the Pearl, you could have captured the Devil and set free your father's soul."

"It doesn't matter now," Will said. "The Pearl is gone, along with her captian."

"Aye," said Gibbs. "and already the world seems a bit less bright. He fooled us all right till the end, but I guess that honest streak finally won out." He held up his drink in a toast. "To Jack Sparrow!"

"A great man…a great pirate…" Goofy said, who acted like he might cry.

"I never really liked him…yet now he's gone the world does seem a bit empty," Axel said and threw his head back and consumed the drink.

Everyone else also held their cups up and drank some. "If there was anything to bring him back…" Sora said.

"Would you do it?" Tia said out of nowhere. "What would you, what would any of you be willing to do? Would you sail to the ends of the Earth and beyond to fetch back witty Jack and him precious Pearl?"

Everyone was quiet for a few moments as they looked at each other. Mr. Gibbs than took one step forward. "Aye."

Goofy and Donald nodded. "Aye," They said at the same time.

Sora stood up from his chair. "Aye!"

Valdamar stood up from the wall he was leaning against. "Aye."

Neku and Kairi thought about it for a moment, and nodded in agreement. Axel really thought it over in his head, and said, "Like I said, this world just doesn't seem right without him in it."

Riku was skeptical. Yet Yami set her cup on the table in the room, and said as well, "Aye."

"Same here," Riku said.

"Aye," said Elizabeth.

"Aye," said Will.

"All right!" Tia said, looking at the stairs, "But if you're going to brave the weird and haunted shores at World's End, then you will need a captain who knows those waters."

They then heard heavy footsteps coming from the stairs. They looked to see who it was as black boots came down the steps. Sora gasped and backed up slightly as he saw Barbossa walk from the stairs, Jack the monkey on his shoulder as he held a green apple in his hand. "So tell me, what's become of my ship?" he said as he took a bite of the apple.

* * *

(1)Well hey, someone always as a camera on them for moments like this. How else do you think all of those crazy images got on the internet?

Lord Beckett - He's now in charge at Port Royal, and up to no good as far as Will and Elizabeth are concerned. He wished to obtain Davey Jones heart to rule over the seas by the means of getting Jack Sparrow's compass, and even trying to convince Jack to work for England. He first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_ in 2006.

Tia Dlama-  She's an odd character who is like some kind of witch or sorceress, having a secret past and also has run into Jack in the past. Really into magical and unusual things, but is always willing to help for some kind of payment in return. Her goals are unknown. She first appeared in _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_ in 2006.

Another Mega chapter that originally was supposed to come out earlier and be in two chapters, but I kept it as one. Alright, so end's Dead Man's chest where the story will move straight on into World's End, but there will be a lot less Pirate plot and more Crossroads plot. So next few chapters will be rushed with some major point skipped over (sorry).

Also, I hope to get around on average a chapter per day until I finish the next world after pirates before or on Christmas. What world is that? You'll have to read and wait to find out. This is somewhat pending as long as my parents let me type more on the computer that is.

Also, some of you may know, but I'm looking for what is seemed to be known as one of the worst KH fanfictions on the website. If you find one, please send me a PM with a link. Rules on the story:1. No yaoi/yuri. And while I'm at it, no lemons or anything like that. Some kisses and smooches are fine, but nothing really going into Rule 34. 2. A longer story at least twenty chapters minimum or so I'd say, something like that. 3. Crossovers are acceptable, but preferably with some main character from Kingdom Hearts having a major role in the crossover. 4. Ratings. I'd prefer a Teen rated one, but anything is acceptable.

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the next few chapters.

_Dezblade_


	51. 50: Finding the World's End

_Huzzah, the 50__th__ chapter checkpoint has been made! _**Neku's Playlist: Victory Fanfare from Final Fantasy**

Chapter 50: Finding the World's End

Kairi shivered upon the deck of the ship. "No o-o-one said it was go-going to be cold," she chattered.

Sora walked up with some torn blankets. "Sorry Kairi, these were the best I could find."

She took it and quickly wrapped it around her. "Thanks Sora."

"I'm here to help," he said wrapping a similar mangy blanket around his shoulders, but was visibly being affected by the cold more.

Riku stood near the wheel of the ship as Barbossa steered the ship, Will looking at the odd map that turned in several directions. It had been interesting week. Finding out about how Tia brought Barbossa back from the dead because he knew where to sail to Jack apparently, and then this whole thing with a dong being sung and how pirates are near their end. Because of this, a group of nine pirate lords called the Brethren Court that had to brought together with nine pieces of eight. It didn't make a lot of sense to Riku because he didn't quite get the hole pirate terminology, but he got some things straight. Jack was apparently one of the nine pirate lords, and had not give his piece of eight before being taken by the Kraken. For that reason, he was needed back. Also this Beckett now had control over Jones, but also by accident also came across possession of the part of the Royal Scroll. They had to help in this fiasco. Even if that had meant dressing up like pirates at times

*****FLASHBACK*****

"There's no way I am dressing like one of guys! Can't you send someone who would more fit for the theatrics?" Axel said.

"Like whom?" Will said before going on his task to get the map that Sao Feng held that they would need to chart their course.

"Sora. He enjoys these little costume changes he goes through. Heck, you could probably get Roxas. Heck, Valdamar would probably do it better than me."

Vald shrugged leaning against the wall. "Well, I did a little time in the theater."

"See what I mean? I don't understand why you want me to go with Barbossa and Elizabeth."

"Because, you're one of the few good with magic here, you see," Barbossa said. "Sure, we have swords, and a few pistols, and some of your other friends have magic, but not especially trained in it. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have a little trick up our sleeves dealing with Sao Feng. After all, he is a pirate Lord and not one to be amused easily."

"Look, I understand that and all, but I am not getting out of this cloak and putting on some odds and ends just to help you. Because I am not-

*****

-a pirate's life for me," Axel sung low as he walked along with Barbossa and Elizabeth into the chamber of Sao Feng.

They walked in as Axel looked around at all the servants as he also caught a brief reflection of himself off a reflective metal against the wall. He wore brown boots that went up to his shins, dirty brown pants with a few holes, a white shirt, a belt across his waist, another somewhat slanted, and a black bandana covering his forehead. He had replaced his red gloves for two fingerless black gloves. He still had his read cloak, but he left it wide open as it somewhat flowed behind him as he walked. To give the disguise of a normal pirate, they gave him also two pistols, which were instantly taken from him as well as Barossa's and Elizabeth's weapons, which took a lot longer for Elizabeth.

They walked up to Sao Fang who turned around to look upon them. "Captain Barbossa. Welcome to Singapore. More steam," saying the last to a servant.

A woman pulled a chain as steam came up from the floor below. However, the three already knew perfectly well there was a floor below because Roxas, Riku, Valdamar, Goofy, Gibbs, and Sora were below as Tia and Yami waited outside disguised as the other were on the lookout for any danger that may approach them while talking with Feng. "So I understand you make a request of me?" Fang said.

"More of a proposal to put to ye. I have a venture underway and happen to find myself in need of ship and a crew," Barbossa said.

"That is an odd coincidence."

"Let me guess, you got some crew waiting for some action?" Axel asked.

"No. Because, earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these!" Fang said raising a rolled up chart. "The navigational charts. The route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

"It would stain cruelty at that," Barbossa said.

Feng made a motion to a group of servants in the corner. They lifted up a man out of the hot water who was tied to a large beam. It was Will. "This is the thief. Do you know who he is?" The three shook their heads. "Then I guess he is no longer needed," Feng said as he pulled a knife and went for Will, from which Elizabeth let out gasp. Feng was not amused. "So, you come into my city, and betray my hospitality!"

"Sao Feg, I assure you, I had no idea…"

"…that he would be caught?" Feng interrupted Barbossa. You intend to sail for Davey Jones locker! When I cannot help but wonder, why?"

Barbossa then flung a coin at the pirate lord, who caught it upon instinct next to his ear. He heard a noise from it. "The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honor the call."

Feng just looked at Barbossa thinking. "More steam." Nothing happened. "More steam!" he yelled at the woman, who pulled the chain again. After a few tense seconds, more steam came up.

"Look, Feng," Axel interlude. "This Lord Beckett has brought rule to the seas so quickly its ruining us…pirates," he said after a pause not believing what he was saying. "We had once rule over the seas but now this guy is taking over."

"Against the East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court? What can any of us do?" Feng said to counter Axel's comment after giving the Flurry of Dancing Flames an odd stare.

Elizabeth walked up to Feng. "You can fight! Get off me! You are Sao Feng, the pirate lord of Singapore! Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy, and yet you sit here, cowering in your bath water!"

Feng looked at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth Swann, there's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? And the eye does not go wanting. But I cannot help but notice. You have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' locker?"

"Jack Sparrow," Will said. "He's one of the pirate lords."

Some of the servants laughed, but Feng wasn't happy to hear about this. "Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight. He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get him back," Barbosa explained.

But before Feng could make a counter argument, he noticed one of his servants had a tattoo that was washing away from his back. He grabbed the servant only and brought him forward with a knife. "So, you admit, you have deceived me. Weapons!"

The entire group of servants around them drew weapons as the three looked around surprised, Will helpless. "Great, I knew I had a bad feeling about this," Axel said under his breath.

"Sao Fen, I assure you, are intentions are honorable," Barbossa said.

Just than from below, four swords and two familiar charklams flew up between the cracks of the floor as Axel grabbed his weapons and Elizabeth and Barbossa each caught a sword in each hand."

"But your weapons down, or I'll kill him!" Feng said bringing the knife to the fake servant's neck.

Axel looked around. "Kill him. He's not ours."

Everyone looked around suspiciously. "If he's not your man, and he's not ours, than who's is he?"

Suddenly, the servant warped in Feng's grasp as it went from a human to an odd creature. "A soulz?!" Axel said.

The soulz finished warping from its human shape it had taken to a humanoid shaped being that was covered in black, save for its hands and small part of its head which were silver. It's hands slowly changed into dagger like blades, and it jumped at Barbossa spinning around like mad. Barbossa quickly held his swords in a cross, blocking the attack as Elizabeth quickly stabbed the soulz. It quickly faded into with a whooshing sound. "What was that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ninja Soulz," Axel said. "Very sneaky. Attack out of nowhere. It's dead yet, it's only wounded."

"I see you noticed," said a voice that became from beyond the door.

The door shattered into pieces as everyone turned away and shielded their eyes. Axel quickly looked back up to see Elizabeth going to free Will in the confusion as he noticed a familiar person in a robe walk in. "You again!"

"What, did you miss me?" Xidmun said, his blades coming from underneath his cloak. "I take it you've run into one of my minions before."

Suddenly, three more Ninjas appeared beside Xidmun out of nowhere and sprung into the room. Axel quickly jumped forward and spun in the air to meet with one Ninja head on as he brought one of his charklams in defense from the dagger blades and the other through it. This one quickly disappeared in a silver light, showing this one had actually ceased to exist.

As Will was freed and given a sword by Elizabeth, one in a corner changed its silver hands to throwing stars, and tossed its arms as its weapon hands flew through the air and cut several servants, nearly hitting Will. Barbossa quickly came from behind it and sliced through its head to finish it off though. Axel threw a fireball through the steam and caught one Ninja off guard, but it vanished into black into hiding from the attack. However, he saw Xidmun run at him from the steam as he brought his charklams in defense from the Purple Cloaked Seeker's triangular blades, as he brought his face inches from Axel. "So, are you feeling lucky today Axel. Your change of clothing tells me so."

Frustrated, Axel brought up a kick into where Xidmun should have a gut. As he slightly stumbled back, Axel spun around brought his elbow into the Soulz's face which threw him back further. Axel than flung his charklams into the air so they flew past Xidmun from each side, shooting fireballs from them as they passed by. At this time, Xidmun was ready for this as he jumped in a flip in the air. He landed on his feet and ran at Axel, who quickly picked up one of the pistols as part of the costume laying on the floor. He quickly rolled to the floor, picked up as he was rolling, and shot it at Xidmun, hitting him in the chest. However, Xidmun instantly faded away as a Ninja stood in the space he had occupied and slowly faded off. "Another Illusion. Typical."

However, Axel hear more gunfire as he saw soldiers approaching. "Let's get out of here!" he shouted to Barbossa as the pirate shot a Ninja, but it disappeared before the shot could hit it. The captain nodded as the ran off, running into the others. "We would have jumped up to help, but some of the Ninjas founs us too," Roxas said.

"It's alright," Will said from above as he ran on a rooftop, jumping down to join the group. "We've got the map," he said holding it, "and a ship with a crew. Let's go."

*****END FLASHBACK*****

Riku looked at Axel, sitting down still in the pirate costume as he levitated one of his charklams in front of him, a small fire bouncing on top of it as Yami and crew members gathered around it for warmth. Riku had a cruddy, heavy jacket he had found below jacket, but didn't care too much for the cold. Will sat, looking at the charts, reading odd inscriptions he found on them. "_Over the edge over again. Sunrises sets a flash of green." _Will read from the charts.

"Ever gazed upon the green flash, Mr. Gibbs?" Barbossa asked.

"Aye, I reckon I seen my fair share. It happens on rare occasion. At the last glimpse of sunset, a green flash of light shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without seeing it, some claim to have seen it that ain't. Some say..."

"…it's a signal when one from the dead returns to the living," Yami said, eavesdropping on the conversation and walking over.

"How do you know?" Riku asked.

"Heard something about it from Tia," she said.

"Trust me, young Master Turner," Barbossa said, "it's not gettin' to the land of the dead that's the problem. It's gettin' back."

Will slowly nodded as Riku looked up to see the massive chunks of ice the ship flowed through. "I just hope this is worth all the trouble of doing this," he more to himself as he moved to the rail of the ship.

"Agreed," Yami said walking next to him, leaning against the rail.

"It's a wonder you haven't run off yet," Riku said.

"Why?"

"The whole thing with you loosing yourself to the darkness but want to escape it. I personally can't help you other than with advice on how I did it. You want to find the Crystal of Darkness, why aren't you going after the Royal Scroll?"

"A feeling." Riku turned to Yami, somewhat surprised. "Something's telling me whatever this crazy journey is, it will help me. And you as well."

"Hm, I see," Riku said as they finished passing by the giant pieces of ice.

*****

Hours later, it seemed slightly warmer, and the ice seemed to be less around. "So where are we than?" Neku asked.

"Gosh, I don't know," said Mickey. "I just seems so strange."

"Please don't tell me we're lost," Valdamar said. "Don't get me wrong, the more warmth is nice, but having to turn back realizing we left our original course is not going to go well with the crew."

Roxas and Namine stood at the front of the ship as they looked somewhat frightened. "Is that sound what I think it is?" Namine asked.

"I hope not," Roxas said, holding onto her hand. "Barbossa!" he than yelled to the other side of the ship. "Ahead!"

"Aye!" the captain responded. "We're good and lost now."

"Lost?" Will said.

Vald threw up his hands. "I hate it when I'm right. I really hate it when I'm right."

"For certain you have to be lost to find the places can't be found. Elseways, everyone would know where it was," Barbossa said, grabbing tight onto the wheel. "You all better hold on tight!" he yelled to everyone on the boat.

Riku gasped as he saw the water in front of them ending in a line as he heard water rushing like a waterfall beyond it. A massive waterfall. They were literally about to fall of the face of the world. "You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth cried to Barbossa as the ship gained speed.

"Don't be so unkind. You may not survive to pass this way again, and these be the last friendly words you'll hear."

"Find something sturdy!" Gibbs yelled as everyone grabbed onto something with all their might.

Riku grabbed hard onto the wooden post nearby where Barbossa steered the ship, a mad smile upon his face. Kairi was on the deck and lost her hold suddenly. Sora quickly grasped onto her and tied them to the mast as they closely held to each other. "It's alright, I'm here," Sora whispered to her.

Suddenly, gravity shifted as the entire ship began to tip forward and began to fall as everyone began to scream loudly as Barbossa laughed as they fell all the way into oblivion.

* * *

Almost didn't make the deadline of making this chapter by the end of today, but it's thirty minutes to midnight, so it still counts!!! I hope you enjoy the next few chapters, and as well as Axel being a pirate.

More to come!!!

_Dezblade_


	52. 51: The Brethern Court

_Note: Yeah, my bad on getting a chapter daily. Some personal issues came up unexpectedly which kept me from a computer. However, I bring you an extremely long chapter to make up for it, although I had wanted to get further on this date. I will try to still accomplish my goal by the 30__th__._

_

* * *

_Chapter 51: The Brethren Court

Lord Beckett sat in the ship as the mysterious man walked to the other side of his room. "I overheard that this Brethren Court is gathering during the attack upon the hideout. Where, I unfortunately did not hear. And something about getting nine pieces of eight."

Suddenly, a well dressed Norrington walked in. "Admiral," Beckett said.

"You summoned me Lord Beckett," said Norrington.

"Yes, I believe this sword is yours," Beckett said handing back the sword he was given when a Commodore. "And this is Luxord. He will be put in charge of the Flying Dutchman after all the problems with Davey Jones.

The golden cloaked Seeker turner around to face Norrington. "I promise you we shan't have any problems. I've dealt with pirates before, so I should, after all, be the best suited for this."

******

Riku slowly trudged upon the shore, soaked. "I'm really beginning to hate falling in the ocean and my home town's an island."

Everyone slowly walked up on the shore, tired and somewhat shaken as they looked around the wasteland that faced them. "Well, this place is pretty forsaken," Roxas said.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Vald said trying to fry off his sword to prevent it from rusting, again.

"I don't see Jack. I don't see anyone," Elizabeth said.

"He's here," Barbossa said. "Davey Jones never gave up what he took."

"It doesn't matter. We're trapped here just like Jack because of your doing," Will said.

"Witty Jack is closer than you think," Tia said, petting an oddly shaped crab.

Namine walked up to her and looked at the crab. "I've never seen such a crab before. Did you find it here?"

But, everyone began to hear a loud noise. They all looked at a sand dune where they could hear the noise becoming louder. They began to see the impossible. They saw Jack Sparrow standing at the front of the Black Pearl as moved up and over the sand on top of an odd moving group of creatures. "Impossible," Donald quacked.

"Boat," Goofy just said dumbfounded.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to me momma, it's Jack!" Gibbs said.

As the Pearl came over the sand, gravity took over as the ship slid down the sand and into the ocean waves, where several crabs that were beneath it soon walked off back into the sand. Neku had taken out his camera to take another picture, but found that the batteries were dead. "Dang, that would have been a good one too," he said to himself.

Jack soon came from the Pearl as he walked over to the group. "A sight for my sore eyes! Jack!" Gibbs said running up to Sparrow.

"Mr. Gibbs," Jack said as if nothing extraordinary had happened. "I expect you can account for your actions, then?"

"Captain?" Gibbs said, confused.

"There has been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline aboard my vessel! Why is that, sir?"

"Jack, you're in Davey Jones locker," Gibbs replied.

"I know that. Don't think that I do," Jack said walking towards Barbossa.

"Jack Sparrow," Barbossa said.

"Ah, Hector. It's been long, hasn't it?" Jack said as if meeting an old friend.

"Hector?" Goofy asked, surprised at Barbossa's name.

"Aye, Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me," Barbossa said.

Jack gave him a face. "No I didn't." He then turned to see Sora. "Ah, Zola, I see you're back. Have you finally found out a way to give me that fancy blade of yours?" Jack said.

"You tried to give him the keyblad?" Kairi said.

"No I didn't," Sora said.

"Yes you did," Donald argued.

"He thinks we're a hallucination," Neku realized.

"And how'd you come to that?" Mickey asked.

"Personal history dealing with people who can't see you," Neku said.

"William," Jack said walking up to Will, "tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to rescue a certain distressing damsel? Or rather a damsel in distress? Either one."

"No."

"Then you wouldn't be here. So you can't be here. Q.E.D. you're not really here."

" Jack, this is real, we're here," Elizabeth said.

Jack looked at Elizabeth, saw her, and his mind suddenly got sober from hallucinations. He quickly turned to Gibbs and whispered. "The locker, you say?"

" Aye."

" We've come to rescue you," Riku said.

" Have you, now? That's very kind of you. But seeing as I possess a ship and you don't, it seems as though you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood."

I see my ship right there," Barbossa said pointing at the Pearl.

" Can't spot it, must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl."

"Jack. Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman," Yami said.

"He's taking over the seas," Namine added.

" The song has already been sung. The Brethren Court is called," Tia said in her strange voice.

" Leave you people alone for a minute and look what's happened, everything's gone to pot," Jack said, waving his hand.

" Aye, Jack. The world needs you back something fierce," Gibbs said.

" And you need a crew,"

" Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past…"

"Five," Axel corrected, holding up five fingers.

"Axel?!" Sora said.

"Heh, he had annoyed me enough with the constant betraying, and I tried to nock him off so well. Turned out I missed."

"Alright," Jack continued, somewhat surprised. "Five of you tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded." Will looked surprisingly at Elizabeth. " Oh, she's not told you? You'll have loads to talk about while you're here. As for you..." he said turning to Tia.

" Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it, at the time."

" All right, fair enough, you're in. Gibbs, you can come. Zola."

"SORA!"

"Whatever. Donald. Goofy. Riku. Yami. Axel, I'm a bit iffy about considering you tried to kill me, but I like the outfit. Who are you?" said to Roxas as he stood by the others and the crew they had picked up.

"Uh, Roxas. This is the crew."

" Where do your allegiances lie?"

" With the highest bidder," said a crewmember.

" I have a ship."

": That makes you the highest bidder."

" Good man. Weigh anchor, all hands, prepare to make sail," Jack said as he pulled out his compass, but it spun wildly as he walked back to the Pearl. Everyone began to follow, Barbossa right behind him. "Jack, which way ya goin', Jack?"

******

They had sailed for a day in the eternal ocean, seeing nothing but the spooky cave of dead spirits passing by on the way out. Now they sailed on a bare ocean horizon, the sun beginning to set in the sky. From what Yami could tell, nothing important was going one because there was too much drama. Sparrow and Barbossa both arguing over who the Captain was, Will and Elizabeth having love drama about secrets, and she even now noticed Roxas and Namine holding hands. She pretended to look at the ocean horizon as Axel walked by, finally changed out of the pirate costume back just in his robe as he finished untying the black bandana over his forehead. "Time to shed that personality," he said.

"You tried to kill Jack, huh?" Yami said.

Axel shrugged. "Nah. I didn't. I had a few plans and half a mind two, but I never actually committed it."

Yami shrugged. "Dang, I actually felt proud of you for a second Axel."

Axel turned to lean against the rail. "You're woundering about them, huh?"

"Who?"

"Them two, over there, holding hands," Axel said, pointing out the obvious.

"Why so?"

"You're wondering how they could share feelings, right?"

"Aren't they just souls after all?" Yami said.

"Well, you're talking to one. The thing is we soulz are strong souls that survive through our feelings and emotions. After all, that's all we really have. So, love can exist, even without a heart. Besides, their case is special. They are not normal soulz. They're soulz of nobodies, but the original selves still exist."

"What?" Yami said.

Axel pointed to another part of the ship where Sora, Riku, and Kairi were talking. "You mean…Sora and Kairi?" she said. "Well, that does make some sense."

"So I see our little dark wielder doesn't understand everything there is to see. Not even the more obvious."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think Riku talks so much about the darkness?"

Yami thought for a second. "You don't mean he's…a heartless?"

Axel waved her towards under the deck. "It's easier to show than explain."

Cautiously, Yami followed Axel into the ship into a small charting room where several maps of the seas hung up against the walls. Quickly, Axel slammed the door behind her and brought one of his charklams ablaze in front of the only door, sealing off escape. "What are you doing?" Yami said, summoning Dark Whisper.

Axel chuckled. "Nothing, just time for some Q and A, that's all."

"Let me out, or I'll let myself out," Yami said.

Axel reached something in his pocket and threw at the small table in the room. "I think you can explain to me about this," he said pointing at the photograph.

Yami gasped at the picture and slightly lowered her weapon, stunned and nervous. "How…how…did you…"

"Trust me, there's a lot more I know about than you think. Now, care to talk a little bit. How about the beginning, eh?"

Yami looked back and forth between Axel and the photo as Axel sat down in a chair and offered another to Yami. Slowly, she sat down, and dismissed the keyblade. "Well?" Axel said.

"The beginning…I was just a girl. A normal girl in Radiant Garden…a normal life…"

*****

After several minutes with talking back to himself several times, Jack suddenly realized something with the map in front of him. "Not sunset, sundown...and rise.," he said as he turned the chart around. "UP!"

Instantly, he sprung to his feet and ran to the side of the ship, some looking at him. "Oh, what's that? What's that? I don't know, what IS that? What do you think?"

"Where?" asked Elizabeth.

"There!"

"What is it?" King Mickey asked.

Jack than quickly ran to the other side of the Pearl, nearly everyone following him to look over the edge on the other side of the boat. Quickly, ran across again, everyone following. Suddenly, Neku noticed some rope on the deck shifting back and forth. "He's rocking the ship," he said.

"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs said as soon as everyone got the idea.

Soon, everyone had run across the ship several times back and forth that the Pearl had nearly capsized, everyone running as fast as they could to the other side, and held on tightly as they felt the ship begin to capsize. "Now up is down," Jack said just before they all plunged under the water.

For a few moments, they hung there under the water. Suddenly, a green flash appeared over the water that could be seen, and the water and gravity seemed to reverse itself as everyone soon found each other back on the deck of the ship. They were all wet, but they were alive and back in the real world as many cheered in joy. However, quickly Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and Barbossa all drew their guns and pointed them at one another. Neku slammed his palm on his face. "Again?"

The four looked at each other tensely, but began to laugh and bring their weapons down, but quickly brought them up again. Suddenly, the looked out of the corner of their eyes as they could hear swearing beneath the deck as Axel and Yami walked on board. "What the blazes-" Axel started to say, but saw the four pointing guns at one another. "uh….never mind." Axel sais as he and Yami slowly backed under the ship and shut the door to where the four turned back to each other. Will than went to fire his gun, but all he got was a click. Soon, everyone pulled the trigger but all the guns did was click. "Wet powder," Gibbs murmured from behind.

Sora sighed. "This wasn't at all what it was last time I was here," he said to himself walking over to the mast.

Valdamar meanwhile walked away from the arguing four about what to do as he looked at the map. After fooling around for a little bit, he found out how to work it. After a little bit, nearly everyone sat nearby or stood behind Valdamar as he looked over the map, Axel and Yami finally came up from below. "And not a word," Yami said.

"Unless the status quo changes," Axel said, "which hopefully it doesn't."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas asked.

"Nothing!" Axel and Yami said at the same time which caused Roxas to back up slightly.

"There's a freshwater spring on this island. We can resupply there, and then you can get back to shooting each other later," Vald said with some small humor.

"You can go on shore with a group while I stay on my ship," Jack said.

"I'm not leaving you in charge on my ship!" Barbossa said.

"How about you both go to shore while I am in charge in the ship!" Will said. He quickly received glares from the two captains. "Temporarily."

Soon Barbossa, Jack, Donald, Goofy, Sora, Valdamar, and a number of the crew given by Feng went in boats towards the island. Only later while the Pearl floated slowly away from the island, Yami noticed something. "No…could it be?"

Riku walked over and saw the Kraken upon the shore of the island, dead. "How…how could that be?"

King Mickey walked over and saw it too. "Welp, it looks like things are much more serious than we thought. Even if Jones was working with Maleficent before, there's no way that she's working with him now that Beckett has the heart."

"Quite correct, your majesty."

They turned to see Luxord behind them, smirking. "You!" Riku said.

However, before he could attack, the crew members of Feng quickly all grabbed them. "What are you doing?" Neku said as he was held down.

Riku then turned to see two ships approaching. One Feng stood on, and the other was who Riku could only assume was Beckett himself. "You see, Lord Beckett and the Seekers have a common goal, so we're working together for the time being. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I am I wrong?" the Gambler of Fate said tossing some dice in his hand.

Soon, the group that had gone ashore came back in a similar fashion, to where Jack was surprised to see Luxord. "You again? I suppose you don't want the heart too? Jeez, you bloody people want everything."

Sao Feng walked upon board of the Black Pearl and walked up to Sparrow. "Jack Sparrow, you paid me great insult once."

"That doesn't sound like me," Jack said before Feng punched him in the nose. "Shall we just call it square, then?"

Will then walked up, not held by any crewmen as he saw Elizabeth being held captive. "Release her. She's not part of the bargain."

"And what bargain be that?" Barbossa asked, realizing what was going on.

"You heard Capt. Turner. Release her," Feng said to his men.

"Capt. Turner?" Axel said, surprised.

"Aye, the profidious rotter led a mutiny against us," Gibbs said.

"I need the Pearl to free my father. That's the only reason I came on this voyage," Will explained.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" Elizabeth said.

"It was my burden to bear."

"He needs the Pearl! Capt. Turner needs the Pearl! And you felt guilty. And you and your Brethren Court! Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?" Jack said. Gibbs somewhat rolled his eyes. Goofy slowly put his hand up, Donald following, than Sora. "I'm standing over there with them," Jack said turning to walk to them.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but there's an old friend who wants to see you first," Luxord, waving to the ship Beckett stood on.

"Oh. Him," Jack said slightly surprised, after only moving aboard the other ship when Luxord pulled out a bladed card like a knife at Jack.

As Jack slowly followed Beckett into hi quarters of the ship, Sao Feng's crew than punched Will back and also held him up. "And you think I would waste this opportunity to take the Black Pearl?" he said.

"Seriously, what is it with you pirates?" Neku said trying to get out of the strong crewmember's grasp.

"I believe you misunderstand something there, Feng. The Black Pearl is now property of the East India Trading Company," Luxord said.

"The deal was the Pearl was to belong to me!" Feng said outraged that he had been tricked as well.

"Lord Beckett's not going to give up the only ship that can outrun the Dutchman, now is he?" Luxord said giving a small laugh as he climbed back aboard Beckett's ship.

"It's a shame they're not bound to honor the Code of the Brethren, ain't it? Because honor's a hard thing to come by nowadays," Barbossa said.

"There's no honor in remaining with the losing side. Leaving it for the winning side, that's just good business," Feng said.

"The losing side, you say?"

"They have the Dutchman, now the Pearl. And what do the Brethren have?"

"We have Calypso."

"Hmph, Calypso! An old legend."

"Calypso? You mean like the goddess of the sea?" Valdamar said rubbing his wrists as Fengs crew upon command began to let go of everyone.

"The same," Barbossa said. "No, the goddess herself, bound in human form. I intend to release her, but for that I need the Court, all the Court."

"What are you proposing, Captain?" Feng asked, now intrigued.

"What be accepted, Captain?"

" The girl."

Slowly, the two captains turned to look at Elizabeth. "What?" she said.

"Elizabeth is not part of any bargain!" Will said, Sora standing next to him nodding.

"Out of the question." Barbossa stopped him.

"It was not a question," Feng agreed.

"Done," Elizabeth said.

"What?" Riku said.

"Not done!" Will said, trying to stop her.

" You got us into this mess! If this is what frees us, then done!" Elizabeth shook him off.

"She's right…let her go," Yami nodded.

"You're sure?" Riku asked Yami.

"You can't trust me?" Yami asked.

"Elizabeth! They're pirates!" Will protested.

"I've had more than enough experience dealing with pirates!" she said pushing Will aside as he watched hopelessly.

"So we have an accord?" Barbossa said, holding out his hand to Feng.

*****

"And you can accomplish all this, can you?" Beckett asked Jack.

"You may kill me, but you may never insult me. Who am I? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" Suddenly, the ship was blasted by the blast of a cannonball. Jack quickly grabbed Beckett's hand than shook it. "Done!" he said before quickly running out. He ran out on top o the ship were a small cannon was raised as he quickly tied a rope around a cannonball and loaded it. Just then, Luxord ran up to where Jack was, and stared in curiosity at what Jack was doing.

"You're mad!" The Golden-Cloaked Seeker said.

"Thank goodness for that, because if I wasn't, this would probably never work."

Jack fired the cannon, which hit the mast and vaulted Jack up and onto the statues at the back of the Black Pearl. "And that was without a single drop of rum." He quickly turned to where he saw Riku and Sora quickly blasting away at Beckett's ship as both the Pearl and Feng's ship fled off, Feng's crew back aboard his vessel along with Elizabeth.

"Where now?" Axel asked quickly grabbing the wheel, Valdamar looking at the map.

"Shipwreck Cove mates, Shipwreck cove!"

*****

Riku shook his head. This was all madness. First Will "supposedly" falling off the Pearl one night, and now here was the brethren court which consisted of the weirdest amount of people. He, Sora, Axel, and Gibbs were the only ones representing the crew with Jack and Barbossa after Barbossa had made his claim to free Calypso. "I really just can't see how this can get any weirder," Riku whispered to Axel.

"Aye, let's hope not," Axel said.

Riku stared at Axel. "Did you just say Aye?"

Axel stared off for a moment, than slapped himself on his face. "I have been here way too long."

"Those aren't pieces of eight," Sora said as he saw one of the Pearl's crewmembers with a wooden eye walk around gathering the supposed pieces of eight. "It's just junk."

"Aye, the original plan was to use nine pieces of eight to bind Calypso, but when the first court met, the brethren were to a one, skint broke," Gibbs said.

"So just change the name," Sora said.

"To what? 'Nine Pieces of Whatever We Happened to Have in Our Pockets at the Time'? Oh yes, that sounds very piratey."

"Mr. Ragetti, if you will," Barbossa said as the pirate came back with six items in the bowl.

"I kept it safe for you, just like you said when you gave it to me," the pirate said.

"Aye, ya have, but now I need it back." To which he hit the pirate on the back of the head as the wooden eye popped out and fell in the bowl. The pirate walked back a bit and put an eye patch over his missing over where the wooden eyeball had been. "Sparrow!" said a Pirate Lord.

Jack touched a coin on his bandana for a second, but hesitated. "Might I point out that we are still short one pirate lord, and I'm content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us."

Then, Elizabeth walked in out of nowhere. "Sao Feng is dead. He fell to the Flying Dutchman," she said as she tossed a piece in the bowl.

"And made you captain? They're just giving the bloody title away now," Jack said surprised.

"Listen," Elizabeth said to the court. "Our location has been betrayed. Jones is under the command of Lord Beckett, they're on their way here."

There was some mumble among the pirates in the room. "Who would do such a thing?" said one Lord.

"No likely one among us," Barbossa put in.

"Where's Will?" Elizabeth asked Sparrow.

"Not among us."

"We must fight!" Riku said.

"Shipwreck Cove is a mighty fortress," said one Pirate Lord. "We can wait them out for many months."

"There is a third course. In another age, at this very spot, the first court captured the sea goddess, and bound her in her bones. That was a mistake. Oh, we tamed the seas for ourselves, aye, but opened the door to Beckett and his ilk. Better were the days when mastery of seas came not from bargains struck with eldritch creatures, but from the sweat of a man's brow and the strength of his back alone. Y'all know this to be true. Gentlemen, ladies. We must free Calypso," Barbossa spoke to everyone.

This did not go well with the pirates. "Shoot him!" yelled one.

"Cut out his tongue!" cried out another.

"Shoot him and cut out his tongue," Jack joined in, "then shoot his tongue. And trim that scraggly beard."

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa," said one Lord.

"Calypso was our enemy then, she will be our enemy now."

"And it's not likely her mood's improved."

"I would still agree with Sao Feng, we release Calypso!"

" You threaten me?"

"I silence you!"

All the pirates began to yell, some even fist fighting. "This is madness!" Riku said.

"This is politics," Jack said.

"Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down upon us," Elizabeth said.

"If they not be here already," Barbossa pointed out.

*****

_Things just keep going from weird to even weirder_ Riku thought as he walked, the armada of ships besides Becket's ship and the Black Pearl. Sure, after a long series of arguments and ideas thrown around to the actually reading of the code from Sparrow's father ended up with electing a Pirate king so that war could be declared. In the most surprising vote ever, Elizabeth was made the Pirate King.

Riku, Elizabeth, Jack, and Barbossa had gone upon land to negotiate or something. As they approached, he could see Beckett, Davey Jones standing in buckets of water, Luxord, and…Will?!

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door," Barbossa said.

"Don't blame Turner, he was merely the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left," Luxord said grinning.

The everyone turned to look at Jack. _For once, I'm not surprised,_ Riku thought to himself.

"My hands are clean in this....figuratively," Sparrow said trying to protect himself.

"My actions were my own and to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it," Will said.

"Well spoke, listen to the tool."

"Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman, I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost.  
Will: No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it," Elizabeth said.

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" Beckett said holding Jack's compass. "You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates, and here they are. Don't be bashful, step up, claim your reward," said tossing the compass back to Jack, who looked somewhat stupefied.

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied. One hundred years in service aboard the Dutchman. As a start," Davey Jones said, staring at Jack with hate.

"That debt was paid, mate, with help," he said pointing at Riku and Elizabeth.

"You escaped!"

"I propose an exchange. Will leaves with us, and you can take Jack," Elizabeth said.

"Done," said Will.

"Undone," Jack said.

"Done," Beckett said, Luxord adding a small laugh.

"Jack is one of the nine pirate lords, you have no right..." Barbossa started to protest.

"King," Riku reminded him.

" As you command," Jack said, giving a bow to Elizabeth.

However as he did so, Barbossa took a knife and quickly cut away the piece of eight on Jack's bandana. "If you be sayin' something, I might be sayin' something as well."

With that, Jack and Will traded places as Jack walked next to Davey Jones who just stared at him."Do you fear death?"

"You have no idea," Jack said somewhat to himself.

"Advise your brethren, you can fight and all of you will die, or you cannot fight in which case only most of you will die," Beckett said, trying to make an offer.

"We will fight, and you will die," Elzibeth said turning around, Riku, Barbossa, and Will following her.

"Suit yourself," Luxord said as the other group left in the opposite direction.

"King?" Will asked Riku.

"Of the Brethren Court. Courtesy of Jack."

"Maybe he really does know what he's doing."

*****

Roxas took a crab off his head and threw it overboard. " Was that it?"

They had brought back Calypso, which actually had been Tia Dlama, but she did not wish to help the pirates and was brought back upon the open seas. "Why, she's no help at all. What now?" Neku said.

"Nothing. Our final hope has failed us," Barbossa said sitting on the stairs, as Barbossa actually had lost all hope. Nothing in his mind could save them.

"It's not over," Kairi said.

"There's still a fight to be had," Sora agreed.

"We've an armada against us, and with the Dutchman, there's no chance," Gibbs said.

"You're right," Elizabeth said going in front of the group upon the Black Pearl. "Then what shall we die for? You will listen to me. Listen! The brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead, and what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No! They will see free men, and freedom. And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons, they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts...gentlemen, hoist the colors!"

"Hoist the colors!" Will agreed.  
"Hoist the colors!" Sora exclaimed.

"Hoist the colors!" Riku cried out as all the keyblade wielders raised their keyblades among the pirate's swords.  
"The wind's on our side, boys, that's all we need!" Gibbs said, now inspired.

"HOIST THE COLORS!!!" Elizabeth cried out to the Pearl and the other pirate ships with them of the Brethren Court. All the crews cried out in joy, their flags flying up in pride. Goofy began raising the old Jolly Rodger up as well when Namine stopped him for a second. "We shall have a second flag. I made this just in time," she said handing Goofy another flag.

Goofy than rose the Jolly Rodger above the Black Pearl, with another flag right underneath it. Where there would be crossbones were two identical keyblades crossed, a crown in the place of a skull.

Back aboard the Flying Dutchman, Luxord received a signal from Beckett's ship. "To arms! We give no quarter!" Luxord said to the crew of the Dutchman.

Davey Jones looked up into the air as he saw a storm gathering as he could also feel a presence among him. "Calypso," he said to himself, and cried out in anger that she had been freed.

Back aboard the Pearl, the crew began to notice as rain began to fall. "That really can't mean anything good, can it?" Donald said.

"Don't worry Donald, just keep an eye out for those near you and we should be fine," said his Majesty, helping move a cannonball.

" Man the capstan....keep that powder dry!" Gibbs said giving orders, but stopped as he looked at the sea. "MAELSTROM!!"

Riku gasped as he saw an enormous whirlpool in the ocean, just between the Pearl and the Dutchman. "Captain Barbossa, we need you at the helm!" Elizabeth said to Barbossa still sitting down.

Slowly, life came back to Barbossa, a smile upon his face."Aye, that be true!" He quickly ran up and took the wheel, back to his original self, ready for any challenge. " ...brace up the yards, ya cockeyed deck apes...dyin' is a day worth livin' for!"

Back on the Dutchman, Luxord began to tell the crew to avoid the massive whirlpool, but Jones stopped him. "She'll not harm us. Full bore and into the abyss!" Jones commanded.

"Are you mad?" Luxord said, Ninja Soulz standing guard behind him.

"Ha! You afraid to get wet?" Jones said, grinning beneath his tentacles.

"On our stern and gaining!" Will reported.

"More speed! Haul your wind and hold your water!" Barbossa said lively.

"Take her out or she'll overbear us!" Sora warned.

"Nay, farther in! We'll cut across to faster waters!"

"Prepare to broadside!" Elizabeth ordered.

"Captain the guns!" Riku yelled to those nearby.

"At the ready!" Axel cried out.

Both ships entered the vortex, and began to spin around at each other, quickly getting close to each other. "Hold it! Wait till we're more to port," Gibbs said to the group at the cannons.

Soon, they had come close enough. "Fire!" Barbossa yelled from the wheel.

"Fire!" Elizabeth and Will yelled together.

"Fire" Yami yelled further down the ship.

"Fire!" Jones yelled from the Dutchman.

All cannons fired across at each other as the battle with such an uncertain outcome began.

* * *

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

_Dezblade_


	53. 52: Battle at the Maelstrom

Chapter 52: The Battle at Maelstrom

The ships fired at each other, each ship becoming hit by each other's cannons. Riku hit the deck as he saw a sea pirate aim for him. He quickly loaded another cannonball and fired again, however quickly, the two masts of the ships collided and caught onto each other, keeping both ships circling above the enormous whirlpool below them. "Watch yourselves!" Riku shouted.

Suddenly, a series of Sea Pirates swung on ropes onto the Black Pearl, Ninja Soulz appearing beside them. "Great," Riku thought to himself as Neku ran up to him, hands lit. _The rain makes things worse. We'll have to get rid of them together fast, _he said to Riku in his thoughts.

"Neku!"

"Ready when you are!"

Riku jumped forward and stabbed into the deck of the ship as a wave of darkness blasted across the floor towards the pirates. Before it reached them, Neku zoomed through the air just above the darkness, and blasted two yellow beams into the wave. Quickly, the darkness became attached to his beams, as Neku began to shake the beams like rope as the darkness spread out in wavelengths like a long rope across the deck knocking the sea pirates over, one falling off into the vortex. The Ninjas disappeared in a puff of smoke and appeared behind Neku to strike at him, only for Riku to through them from behind at an intensely quick speed. Riku brought up Road to Dawn and Neku guided the beams of his energy and the darkness to meet Riku keyblade pointed above them as it sent out a shockwave of sound at the Flying Dutchman, sending back sea pirates also trying to swing over to the Pearl. "That worked out well," Neku said giving a thumbs up.

"Get ready to board!" Gibbs shouted for another part of the ship.

Another array of cannons fired off from the Pearl and struck at the Flying Dutchman. Jones quickly grabbed Luxord while yelling "Cover!" As the cannons hit some Ninjas, Davey Jones' tentacles began to reach at Luxord's throat, trying to choke him. However, quickly, Luxord disappeared in a flash of smoke and reappeared feet away, Xidmun standing next to him. "Trying to take us out, hm?" Xidmun said. "That won't stand well with us. You want to deal with them, fine with us all by all means, but we're not going without the Royals Scroll. Now stand out of the way as we get to your 'precious' chest," Xidmun said as Luxord held up the key.

However, Jack Sparrow came up from the captain's quarters, apparently escaping during the attack from his small prison cell below, and held the chest in his hands. "Oh bugger."

"Well look here, the lost bird that never learned to fly," Jones said, just getting more mad with the situation.

"I've always regretted that. But hey, never too late to learn, right?" Jack said, cutting some rope beneath him. As soon as he did so, Davey Jones punched Luxord, nabbing the key as Jack was sent up into the air and landed up above one of the sails, but turned to see Jones right behind him emerging from the mast. "The Chest! Hand it over!"

"I can set you free mate," Jack said, trying to avoid a fight.

"I lost my freedom long ago," Jones said bringing out the sword of the fallen Norrington, Jack blocking with his sword in defense, the chest hanging from his other hand. They began to duel upon the mast as Xidmun and Luxord watched from below. "Pirates," Luxord muttered to himself.

Than from the Pearl swung over Roxas, Axel, Goofy, and King Mickey as they set foot upon the Flying Dutchman. "You!" Roxas shouted, summoning Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

"Well, it seems that the situation has grown way out of proportion. There are more here than we thought," Xidmun said.

"Didn't get the chance to tell you, did I?" Luxord said, large bladed cards appearing as he grabbed them.

"No matter. We'll get rid of them than go after the Scroll. Perhaps even one of these has a piece," Xidmun said, his triangular blades coming from underneath his cloak.

Everyone readied their weapons, King Mickey being the last to summon his keyblade. "What is it The Seekers want anyways with the Royal Scroll?"

"We could ask you the same, but I believe we already know why you seek it, so why bother asking or telling you our reason," Luxord said.

"Heh, you think some of us don't already know?" Axel said. "Remember who tried to get me to join you guys. He told me what you were up to."

"That fool!" Luxord said.

"Doesn't matter, his soul has departed," Xidmun said gaining a fighting stance referring to Vexen. "All we have to do is take them out and they'll just be pure illusions." Xidmun darted forward and struck at King Mickey, but Goofy blocked him with his shield as Axel and Roxas charged at Luxord, keyblades and charklams meeting the blades on the gambler's cards.

Back on the Pearl, Everyone one else was fighting off Sea Pirates and Ninjas as they all clanged their swords and bursts of magic was shot across, a few cannons still firing. Will and Elizabeth stood near the mast, back to back as the fought off Sea Pirates. "Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" Will shouted finally getting her attention. "Will you marry me?"

"I don't think now is the best time!" she said pushing back a pirate off her sword.

"Now may be the only time! I love you. I've made my choice. What's yours?"

Elizabeth just stared at Will for a moment, then turned again to cut through a Ninja. "Barbossa!" she shouted towards the wheel. "Marry us!"

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Barbossa said as he shot a Sea Pirate on his left and then continued fighting back another on his right.

"Barbossa! NOW!!" Will shouted.

"Fine then!" said the cpatian as he jumped up ontop of a table as Valdamar took his spot and helped defend the ones attacking him. "Dearly beloved, we be gathered here today..."

"Elizabeth Swann, do you take me to be your husband?" Will said as he continued to fight off the enemy.

"I do."

"Great!"

"Will Turner, do you take me...to be your wife, in sickness and in health, with health being the less likely?"

"I do."

"As captain, I now pronounce you..." Barbossa stopped to shoot a ninja. "you may kiss..." slashing back a Sea Pirate Valdamar than took down with his whip. "you may kiss..." another Ninja. "JUST KISS!!!" he yelled at one point and returned to the fight.

Will and Elizabeth temporarily pushed their opponents back, and embraced each other and kissed. Gibbs, turned away at the sight as Sora blocked a Pirates sword and saw the spectacle end. "Wow…" he said.

However, the moment ended abruptly as something burst from the sea and landed aboard the Pearl. Sora spun around and knocked back the Sea Pirate overboard, and turned to see a tar like substance slowly rising up and taking a shape as the rain dripped around it. "Get away!" Riku shouted to the others as he advanced upon it. Everyone slowly fought off their main enemy as Riku stood facing the thing as Sora ran up. "What is it?" Sora asked.

"It's Shade," he said.

Sora than remembered the being Riku told about he had fought before and the two readied their keyblades as Shade took shape. It was different than when Riku last encountered it. This time, it took a more distinct female form, but it was still altered. The liquid that made it up also dispersed to bring out long, flowing like hair that seem to move with a mind of its own as a lizard shaped tail came from its lower back. The red eyes appeared upon where there should have been a face, but were distinct as human eyes but still evil as last time. _We meet again, Riku. _Said the being with thoughts coming from it and entering their minds.

Neku also heard the voice because of his ability and fell down on the ship, clutching his head as the voice seemed to slam him like a freight train. Namine quickly ran in front of him to save him from a Ninja. "Neku! Are you alright?" she asked, water dripping from her hair.

"The voice…so strong," he said as he struggled to his feet and looked to see Shad facing Riku and Sora. "It's that thing." Namine quickly grabbed Neku and pulled him away to try to get him further away from Shade.

Riku's eyes had slightly widened. "How do you know my name?"

_Since our last encounter, we have searching to find out who you are since your use of darkness intrigued us. So, we came across the one who showed you the darkness, and she has told us many things._

"You're working with Maleficent!" Sora said, reading Ultima Weapon.

_No, Sora, keyblade master. We are simply doing something in favor of the witch in return for a certain item we so desperately acquire. But now, we know of your past Riku. Soon, your power shall belong to us too. But we wish to ask it of you before we imply force._

Shade's right arm than began to shift and form until what looked like a keyblade in the same substance of the material Shade was made out of formed in her clutch. The substance hardened until it turned into real keyblade. "A keyblade!" Sora shouted.

"Impossible!" Riku shouted.

_Fools! Dark Diamond is real as your own, but has the greatest power of all keyblades. This was an original keyblade forged from darkness itself long ago. Now Riku, we offer you the greatest keyblade there is in existence. You will be feared by everyone with your great power. All we ask, is that you join us._

Riku stared at Shade, and began to slowly lower Road to Dawn. "Riku, what are you doing?" Sora said as Riku walked towards Shade.

Riku walked up until he was eye to eye with Shade, slightly shaking from all his senses being blasted by the power of darkness in front of him. _So, you will join us? We knew you would appreciate our power to make you stronger._

Shade began to warp as it prepared to envelop him, but he suddenly drew back his arm as he summoned Road to Dawn from where he left it into his hand, dark power surging around it, as he plunged it straight through Shade and twirled around slashing he keyblade. A piercing screech echoed through Sora and Riku's minds as Shade gave out feelings of pain as the liquid being fell into blotches of liquid upon the deck, where Riku quickly leaped backwards from it as Shade began to reform, the red eyes seemingly more dark than before. _You dare defy us! You dare to strike us when we offered you everything?! You will __**SUFFER!!!!**_

Shade glided across the deck faster than Neku glided and swung Dark Diamond in a furry of blows at Sora and Riku at the same time as they backed up slowly, bringing their keyblades up in defense. Riku then raised Road to Dawn in one block and swung down to leave Shade quickly open as Sora sliced at Shade. The top half of Shade feel like water to the ground, but quickly reformed together again and attacked once more. "Sora, slicing won't work on it!" Riku shouted as soon as he backed against the mast, dodging the keyblade as it struck into the wood.

"FIRE!" Sora shouted sending flames around him.

One managed to touch Shade, but it hardly did anything. Sora than dodge rolled under a swipe from the liquid being as Riku tried to grab Shade with his own hand. Surprisingly, he could grab Shade. He felt something under the liquid that felt like human skin. _GET OFF!!_ Shade blasted into their minds as she flung Riku back into the air against the sail, to which Riku fell hard on the deck, wincing in pain.

Sora quickly ran to Riku and blocked Shade from stabbing Riku. He cast a blizzard spell to which Shade stepped back from to avoid the attack. "You alright Riku?" Sora asked.

"I'll be fine," Riku said getting up. "But we've got to stop Shade fast. The ship won't last too much longer in the whirlpool." Riku then turned to Sora. "Do it."

Sora nodded as he and Riku clasped hands together. "DRIVE!" Sora shouted.

There came a burst of light, followed but a dark shadow covering the spot where Sora and Riku stood. Shade advanced cautiously. A Ninja from the fight jumped at her from behind, but her tail wrapped around the surprised soulz and the liquid melted over it quickly and slowly drew power from the soulz, destroying its existence. "So, you take other's strength. So you tried to trick Riku!" came Sora's voice within the shadow, but his voice sounded more mature.

_Silence! I wish not to hear your voice anymore! _Shade said as it tossed Dark Diamond like javelin at the shadow, but it was stopped as Ultima Weapon stuck out of the shadow and deflected it. The keyblade flew back to Shade as it stood still. "Then how about mine?" came Riku's voice, but it sounded more cheerful.

Slowly, a figure emerged from the shadow. "How about our voice?!" he said with the voice of Sora and Riku together.

Sora had entered Dawning Drive Form with Riku. Sora had grown slightly taller, his spiked hair even longer, not all of it staying completely upright. His eyes had become Riku's but other than that had remained as Sora. His clothes had become a Silver and Blue pattern with empty heartless symbols. However, the weapon was the most the surprised even Shade. Ultima Weapon and Road to Dawn had forged together at their hilts to create a keyblade-staff which for some reason knew was called Rise of Dawn, which Sora swung around in the air like a quarterstaff. He readied himself as he faced Shade. "Leave now."

_No._

Sora charged forward as he gripped the keyblade-staff in his right hand, Shade gliding just as fast. Sora then brought his left hand and using both hands charged forward twirling the keyblade-staff in a circle in front of him. Rise of Dawn cut through the air like a propeller of an airplane as it sliced Shade causing the being to separate again. However, while reforming, Sora kept rotating the keyblade-staff faster and faster, preventing Shade from reforming. At one point, Shade just gathered as a puddle on the deck and tried to slip under Sora's feet, but Sora just plunged one end of his weapon where the liquid puddle and used the keyblade-staff to pole vault away and gain distance. Shade reformed much faster, the red eyes glaring at Sora. _You think cutting us up over and over again will defeat us?_

"No," came Riku's voice, followed by Sora's. "This will!"

Sora then held up Rise of Dawn with his right hand in front of him so it was horizontally in the air, like the horizon. Soon, where his hand was gripping the keyblade-staff tightly became to glow in a light. Beneath the horizontally line the keyblade-staff had grew a dark power. The light hovered above the dark brining rays of light just like those of dawn. Sora then quickly brought his left hand with both hands tossed his weapon into the air, spinning. Kairi watched in amazement as she just saw the event happening after clearing a Ninja that had been perusing her. The light and darkness swirled around as the key-staff spun in the air, Sora quickly jumping in midair, catching it shouting "FACE DAWN!!"

The Light and Darkness blasted together in harmony as Shade. The being had held it's dark keyblade in defense, but it could not stop the blast of the combined power of Sora and Riku. Sora could barely hear Shade's cried in pain over the blast of the attack. Fighting practically stopped for a second at the sight of the enormous blast of power. Jack and Jones stopped, only for Jack to cut at Jones' tentacle beard from where the key to the chest was hanging to where Jack jumped down after it, Jones crying out. Luxord and Xidmun stopped to see the attack as well, the four holding their guard as they looked as well. "What is that?" Xidmun said, a hint of fright in his voice.

"It means that we're in something we can't bet on," Luxord said, opening a portal. "It would be best to leave."

"The Royal Scroll…" Xidmun started, but was interrupted as Goofy's shield flew at him, and he quickly ran with Luxord into the portal and disappeared.

Back on the Pearl, the blast ended as Sora and Riku both fell to the Deck, the drive ending, both of their keyblades back in their hands, energy practically knocked out of them. Riku got up on his feet, his keyblade raised as he saw the odd silver and black liquid rise up again. "That didn't stop it?" Sora said, slowly getting back to his feet.

Shade slowly reformed, but was obviously stunned. The liquid it was made out of seemed out of color, closer to a white rather than silver and the black seemed more of a dark gray. _Such power…we could have unstoppable together…However, you defy us. We will return to retrieve you again. But we will be more powerful. Much more powerful. And then, nothing will be able to stop us._

Slowly, Shade began to disappear, but not before Sora and Riku heard a disturbing laughter go through their heads that give them shivers, and the rain wasn't helping. Kairi ran over to see that they were alright. "Sora, are you okay?" Kairi said as Sora sat down, whipped out.

He gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine, but thanks to Riku here," Sora said putting a hand on Riku's shoulder.

Riku gave a small smile, but stopped when he noticed a Sea Pirate running for them. Riku got up and went to stop him, but the pirate stopped in his tracks as Riku felt the Pearl lean more towards the whirlpool. The Seas Pirate began to quickly run back to the Dutchman. Than Riku noticed that all the Sea Pirates were going back to the Dutchman. Also, all the soulz were gone too. "What the heck?" he said out loud.

He then saw Roxas, Axel, Goofy, and King Mickey all swing back on the Pearl. "We've got to get away before the Dutchman takes us down with her!" Axel said.

"Aye! Make quick, or it's the locker for us all!" Barbossa said, turning the wheel.

Quickly, the Pearl snapped free from the Dutchman's and began to rise up above the whirlpool as the Dutchman sank down into the maelstrom. Riku then saw Sparrow and Elizabeth slowly floating in the air from the wind as Jack held onto a piece of a sail like a parachute. "They're not going to make!" Donald said as he watched them sink closer to the water.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept them up and brought them right onto the deck of the Pearl, Yami lowering her keyblade. Yami then collapsed to the ground, to where Goofy and Riku ran over to her. "Yami! Are you okay?" Goofy asked.

"So much…darkness," she said trembling. It was than Riku noticed that Yami actually looked frightened. She always came off as sarcastic, hard, and not too much emotion except for right after her dark form and right now. _Shade's darkness must have affected her, _Riku thought as he put a hand on her shoulder, and brought it back to see blood on his hand. "You're hurt!" he said.

She didn't respond as Namine and Axel walked over. "Here, we'll fix her up," Axel said, carrying her bridal style for the second time. They took her further back on the ship as Jack walked up, Elizabeth just looking at the ground. "What happened?" Sora asked King Mickey. "Over there on the Dutchman."

His majesty actually looked sad as well. "Sora…Jones stabbed Will."

"What?!"

"He and Elizabeth were fighting Jones, when I think Jack came with Jones' heart, and then…Jones stabbed Will. And then Will father tried to stop Jones when Jack had Will stab the heart. And then Jones fell into the water and the ship began to sink as we all escaped. I'm sorry Sora."

Sora was dumbfounded as the rain began to stop, the sun reaching the deck of the Pearl again, the armada of ships still sitting in front of them. "Jack, the armada's still out there," Gibbs said running up to Jack. "The Endeavour's coming up hard to starboard, and I think it's time we embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions..."

"Never actually been one for tradition....luff the sails and lay on iron!"

"Belay that, or we'll be a sitting duck," Barbossa ordered.

"Belay that 'belay that.'" Jack told Gibbs.

"But captain..." Gibbs started.

"Belay!"

"The armada..."

"Belay!"

"The Endeavour..."

"Belay!"

"But we..."

"Kindly SHUT IT!!" Jack shouted, leaving Gibbs silent.

As Beckett's ship approached, Beckett watched as they neared the Pearl, sipping some tea. "What is he waiting for?" asked an officer.

"He actually expects us to honor our agreement. Nothing personal, Jack...it's just good business." Beckett said.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Flying Dutchman resurfaced from the water, not too far from the Peal. "You've got to be kidding me!" Valdamar yelled and groaned at the same time. On board the Dutchman, the crew walked on the deck, but they seemed to be falling apart. All the sea creatures and attributes of them began to fall off as human pirates looked at themselves in a bit of wounder, Bootstrap surprised as the starfish came off his face. "They're returning to normal," Kairi said as she watched.

Then one man stood behind the wheel of the Dutchman turned around, a scar on his chest where his heart should be, a black bandana over his head. It was Will. "Ready on the guns!" He shouted to the crew of the Dutchman.

"Full canvas!" Jack ordered, glad his plan had followed through.

"Aye, full canvas!"

Soon, the Pearl and Dutchman approached both sides of Beckett's ship. Beckett just staring off into space, the officer nervously asking for orders. "Cap'n?" Sora asked.

"Fire!" Jack said.

"FIRE!!!" Sora yelled to the crew of the Pearl.

"Fire!" Will shouted from the Dutchman.

"Fire all!" Elizabeth ordered as the cannons began to rip apart Lord Beckett's ship. "Orders?! Orders, sir??!! Sir, what do you command?" the officer cried out.

Beckett just stood there stunned, not being able to accept what was going on. "It's just good business...."

Soon, the rest of the soldiers abandoned ship as the it feel apart and sank into the seas. Neku zoomed up to the crow's nest and looked at the rest of the armada far off. "They're turning away!" he yelled to down below. The crew cheered out in joy, those with hats throwing them up as other pirate lords ships soon followed suit.

"Mr. Gibbs, you may throw my hat if you like." Jack said, handing him his hat.

"Aye aye captain!" Gibbs said tossing the hat. "Hooray!"

"Now go and get it," Jack said, as Gibbs looked at him for a moment, then ran to find the captain's hat.

Will stood on the Dutchman, looking over at Elizabeth on the Pearl. "Orders, sir," said his father, walking up to him."

You're no longer bound to the Dutchman. You're free."

"Aye, that's a fine thing, but, by my reckoning, I still have a debt that has to be paid...if you'll have me."

Will smiled at his father. "On the wheel, then, Mr. Turner."

"Aye, Captain Turner." He said, going to the wheel. Will just stared more at Elizabeth as Bootstrap once again spoke. "This ship has a purpose again, and where we are bound, she cannot come. One day ashore, ten years at sea. It's a steep price for what's been done."

"Depends on the one day," Will said.

*****

They stood on the shore as they all bid Will farewell, as he handed Elizabeth, his wife, the chest with his heart inside of it. "You've always had it. Keep it safe," he said, to where Elizabeth kissed him.

He then walked over to Riku, handing him the piece of Royal Scroll that had been stuck in the chest. "This belongs to you I believe."

Riku held in his hand, and put in his pocket. "Thank you, Will."

Jack last walked up to Jack Sparrow, who just looked to the side. "Jack."

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow, Mr. Turner," jack corrected him as usual.

"That'll be Captain Turner," Will corrected him in turn. "You saved me Jack from being with Elizabeth. It may only be every ten years, but I still thank you."

Jack shrugged. "The least I could do mate."

"But I do have a gift for you," he said.

Jack took a bottle from Will and looked at the label. "Rum! Surprised you would have such a thing."

Will just gave a small smile, and with a final wave, headed back for the Dutchman. They group watched as he went off on his ship, disappearing in the Green Flash. Jack than turned to Sora and Riku. "Well Zola, Rukku, I must be off."

"It's Sora!"

"For the last time, Riku!"

"Same thing," Jack said swinging his new bottle of rum. "Now, mates, I'll be off to my own ship."

"Jack, thank you," Elizabeth said walking up to give him a kiss, but he held up a hand. "Once was enough," he said simply, and headed back in his longboat back to his Black Pearl.

*****

Banirith sat in his chair as he thought. The report from Xidmun, now his right hand, and Luxord did not please him. If Sora had found a way to create a keyblade-staff from combining his strength with others, he had to find a way to stop him before it got any further. But, having the entire group together meant the Seekers could go to other worlds unchallenged. What they had to do was to keep them distracted. Hopefully the world Lexaeus was on would be enough. Larxene then walked in with the eighth member of the Seekers. "We found them, just like you said," Larxene said, showing in three figures.

Banirith studied them. They all looked different than their original, but he could tell them apart. The one in front was a soulz, the one to the right a heartless, and the one to the left a nobody. "I see Hojo did all he could to bring him back," Banirith said.

The middle one nodded. "Hojo was too unwise to realize what he was doing. You see, all we want is our Reunion, that's why we were brought so that we can complete it."

Banirith nodded, a small smirk on his face. "And so you shall have this Reunion of yours. I will tell you the location you seek, and even provide you with weapons and magic far more powerful than you already posses. I'll even upgrade your transportation. All I ask is for something in return."

"And that is?" asked the nobody.

Banirith then held a piece of the Royal Scroll. "The Royal Scroll. You may run into those with piece of this. I don't particularly care how you get it from them, but I want it as fast as possible."

The soulz smirked. "Paper? That's all you want. Fine, you'll get it."

Banirith then turned to the eight member and Larxene. "You two help them get to Radient Garden. They have business to attend their before going to the other world. While you are there, I want you to prepare that attack that we have set up. Do I make myself clear?" he asked.

Larxene waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah, understood."

The torn-coated Seeker chuckled and soon laughed manically. "No problem," he said, his golden-yellow eyes glimmering.

* * *

_Neku's Dark Wave_

**Dawning Drive Form- **This is the form when Sora Drives with Riku. Sora clothes change to a silver and yellow with a few empty heartless symbols across the clothes. He physically becomes more mature, and extremely stronger. Also their weapons combine to make the keyblade-staff Rise of Dawn, a mighty weapon which with the power of Sora' light and Riku's darkness can create a blast that can't be avoided. Overall strength and slight speed is boosted.

And so, we leave Port Royal and move onto the next world, which all of our heroes will go to. I should have it up soon. Sorry once again for the delay in updating. Please tell me how the writing structure was in this chapter if you are good at critiquing as I believe I may need to work on my action sequences a bit more. Thanks as always for reading and the reviews.

_Dezblade_


	54. 53: The Most Wounderful Time of the Year

Chapter 53: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

"Why did their ship crash?" Roxas said as King Mickey piloted the Gummi Ship down towards the world, the ship Riku was piloting right behind them.

"I can't quite tell from the message they sent us. I already told Leon that they'll be later than expected, so there shouldn't be too much of a problem," Mickey said as they began to land.

Roxas than immediately recognized the world from looking out the cockpit. "Wait, this is Halloween Town!"

"You've been here?" Donald asked.

"Yeah. I went on a few missions here when with the Organization."

"Well, this time you have to get in an outfit to fit in," Donald said as he began to cast a spell.

Roxas sighed. At least hopefully he didn't become a fox.

******

"Are you ssssure thisssss issss nesssissary?" Yami said, hissing.

"Trust me, the citizens of the town don't look like your ordinary folk," Sora said in his outfit he had been in his last visits to Halloween Town.

He, Donald and Goofy were in all of their outfits when they had come here before, and everyone else looked different too. Kairi looked over herself again, not really liking the changes as she looked really gothic, her hair even with blue highlights. She had also become really pale as two of her teeth streach out further. She was a vampires. "Sora, I really don't like this," she said, looking around her clothes which were now all black, a small cape on her back.

Riku meanwhile rolled his slightly just looking at the others. He himself was slightly floating in the air, and slightly transparent, except for his hands, feet, and his head. He had become an odd type of ghost. "Well at least people can't reach through your body Kairi."

King Mickey, who looked like a zombie shrew, then tried to explain to Yami why they had to take these forms to protect their identity as outsiders on certain worlds. "I understand that, sssomewhat, but why do I have to be like thissss?!" she said, slithering around as she had become a Naga. From the waist down she had a snake body, and a forked tongue made her keep hissing her "s".

Valdamar was just plain weird as he tested around his limbs, as he appeared to be part robot. His left arm and part of his face was covered in metallic plates, some of his hair missing as well. He tested out his bionic eye to see further as he put his fedora back in the Gummi Ship for safekeeping. Neku just sighed, a black cloak over him completely, his right arm that of a skeleton, a scythe on his back. "A reaper, how ironic," he mutter to himself.

Axel looked at the surroundings, back in his pirate outfit. Namine looked like she had back on her white dress, that is if it were black and draped down to her feet. An odd witch hat also sat upon her head as she knelt down to a werewolf Roxas sitting on the ground, looking at his clawed hands. "It'll be temporary Roxas," she assured him.

"Yeah, but why animals? First a fox, and now a wolf. What's next?"

"So, what's wrong with the ship?" Axel asked Sora.

"Uh…nothing to me understanding," Neku said.

"What?!" Yami said. "Than what are we doing here in thessse forms?!" she hissed angrlly.

"That," Sora said, pointing to outside the town.

Valdamar used his robotic eye, and zoomed at what Sora was pointing at. He then used his eye to take a picture of the scene, and then projected it onto the ground. Donald Goody gasped. "Oggie's house!" they said at once.

"Huh?" said nearly everyone.

"So I see you are confounded as me!!" boomed a mysterious voice.

Everyone looked in different directions, Yami and Riku summoning keyblades. "Show yourself!" Riku dared the voice.

Suddenly, the ground trembled underneath Riku as he quickly glided back before A skeleton's hand popped out from the ground. Then the ground burst slightly as a really tall skeleton popped out from the ground. "BOO!" he yelled at everyone.

Nearly everyone took a step back or tow in fright except for Sora, Donald, and Goofy, who ran forward. "Jack!" Sora said.

"You know him?" Neku said.

"Another Jack? I hope it's not like Sparrow," Axel said.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy!" Jack said quickly shaking hands with each one. "I just can't help to say you came in perfect timing."

"Uh, Time out, what's going on here?" Kairi said, very confused.

"Please, excuse me. I am Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King!" he said giving a pose that would seem scary to a child. Sora than introduced everyone to Jack. "Well any friend of Sora's is a friend of mine. But I see you noticed that as well which is bothering me."

"How did Oggie's house come back Jack?" Goofy asked.

"Not just Oggie's house, but him as well."

"What?!" Donald quacked.

"I'm quite so sure. Suddenly one day," Jack said. "POOF! It appeared in a smoke. And then Oggie came in town destroying anything he could find from Sora's last visit along some shady looking fellow."

"The Seekers," Roxas muttered.

"What do you mean by Sora's last visit?" Namine asked.

"Wait, you don't mean all of the Christmas decorations, do you?" Sora said.

"Wait, Christmas?" Riku said. "Isn't this Halloween Town?"

"It's a long story," Jack said quickly, waving his hands.

*****

"So you mean to tell me that all of these doors lead to different holidays!" Valdamar said, his voice slightly monotone from his robot parts.

"Exactly!" Jack exclaimed pointing to a Christmas tree in one of the trees, a golden ornament for a door handle. "And this tree leads to Christmas Town! Last I saw, Oggie and the stranger went this way to the woods. I think Oggie Boogie may be back to take everything from Christmas Town like he tried last time."

"And somehow one of the Seekers brought him back to do so," Axel said. "They wouldn't interfere with a world unless there was a piece of the Royal Scroll there. I guess it was a good idea you stopped here Sora."

"But why bring back his entire house?" Kairi asked.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg I think," Neku said. "While he may be in Christmas Town, I think there's something up with that house still."

It was decided they would split up into two groups. Roxas, Namine, Axel, Neku, Yami, and Mickey ran off to Oggie's house while Sora, Donald, Goofy, Jack, Kairi, Riku, and Vald would go to Christmas Town. "We'll come back after investigating," Neku said as they ran off.

"Watch out for the heartless!" Jack warned them as they ran off.

"There's still heartless here?" Goofy asked.

"The heartless will always exist on a world as long as there is darkness in one's heart on that world," Riku said, looking at the odd door.

"Kairi, go ahead and open it," Sora said.

"Uh, okay," she said, stepping forward and opened the door. There was nothing, just a dark hole. Kairi, Riku, and Valdamar leaned to look in. There was nothing. Kairi turned around to look back at Sora. "There's nothing."

"You sure?" Sora said, a small smile on his face.

Kairi than felt a cold wind come from behind her. Suddenly, it began to suck her backwards. They cried out as the three were pulled in through the cold wind, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jack jumping behind them. The first three screamed as they spiraled around in circles, the experienced four used to this portal whooping like it was a roller coaster. Suddenly, there was a light as they all were propelled out a tree with a pumpkin door as they all landed onto the ground in an odd pile. Kairi than felt something against her check she had never felt before: snow. She got on her knees as picked up a piece of the snow. "So this is what snow's like," she said, amazed.

Riku also picked up the snow, and looked at it for a second. He then quickly wiffed a snowball at Sora, hitting him in the face. "Hey!" he said, whipping one back at Riku, only to forget he was part ghost and it flied right through him. "No fair!"

"Guys, can we have your rivalry another time. We have to stop this walking burlap sack you're talking about," Valdmar said as he and Jack began to walk towards Christmas Town, the others following.

Kairi then realized something as they were walking down the snow hill. "Wait, if this is Christmas Town…that means that…"

"Santa's there," Sora finished for her.

"You've got to be kidding me," Riku said.

"Riku, after all the stuff we've seen, don't you think there's a chance that Santa actually exists?" Sora said.

"Of course Sandy Claws exists! Why I even helped him out one Christmas!" Jack said.

"You helped?" Valdamar said.

Jack waved his hands again. "Another long story."

Kairi looked at Christmas Town more excitedly. "Wow, Santa!"

*****

"These kids?! Again!" Roxas growled summoning his keyblades.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel laughed as they began to run crazily across the room. However, because there were numerous people against them, and it was easier for his majesty to block them since he was around their size, the three pests were soon stopped and put in a corner.

"Now just explain to us what Oggie and his house are doing back here," Axel said, threateningly.

"Not our idea. Big guy in cloak brought him back," Lock said.

"Yep, Seekers," Neku said.

"Which one?" Yami asked, trying to avoid the letter "s".

"Brown, why? Are there more of him?" said Shock said.

"Lexaeus!" Namine said.

"Hey, they do know about him," Barrel said, pointing a finger.

The other two slapped him. "Shut up!" Shock ordered.

"Why did he bring Oggie back?" Yami asked.

"Something about needing him to 'get back'," Barrel said, before being slapped again.

"Back where?" Mickey asked.

"He said, 'the past' but we know that's not possible, so it must mean something else," Lock said.

Mickey thought to himself, and then gasped. "You three, get out of here and don't come back!" he quickly yelled at the three.

"No problem!" Shock said, out of nowhere bringing out a bomb.

"Look out!" Neku said as everyone moved out of the way all the small explosion went off, the three kids giggling as they ran out of Oggie's house. "Why did you tell them to get out?" Roxas asked.

"If Lexaeus is trying to go back in time, he needs to access it through a special doorway that can take people back in time. Only very few can create such doors. One is Merlin, but there's another here that can do so."

"Who?"

"Santa Clause."

*****

"…and you honestly believe he did all of those gifts in one night?" Lexaeus said, Oggie holding Santa captive. "Of course not. With him being able to open doors in time, it made it much easier. True, he may have the sleigh and all, but the doors with time are crucial."

"Oggie!" Jack said, everyone with weapons drawn other than Jack who just pointed at the soulz of Oggie Boogie. "What do you have to do with this?"

Oggie laughed, holding onto a tied up Santa Clause. "Well, Jack, This guy offered a little something for me in return if I helped him out, you see. But I don't feel like one to tell you, so I'll leave it be!"

"Stop this!" Sora said, running to help Santa Clause, but stopped when Lexaeus held his ax sword at Santa. "Darn you."

"Now Santa, if you don't mind."

Santa shook his head. "What are you trying to get from him anyway?" Riku asked.

"Not from him, but from the past. You see more than a year ago when Sora originally destroyed Oggie Boogie with his house, he destroyed a part of the Royal Scroll."

"How do you know this?" Kairi said.

"A reliable source of intelligence. Now Santa, you see, either way you have to open a door, so now it's either for me or for them."

Just then an explosion went through a window of Santa's workshop where the rest of the party jumped through, weapons pointed at Lexaeus and Oggie Boogie. "The jig is up!" Axel said.

"Is that so, redhead?" Oggie said, pulling a switch hidden behind him.

Suddenly, the platform where they just entered on pulled backwards onto a treadmill where gifts wrapped were supposed to come through, but instead heartless started coming through. "How do you like heartless?" Oggie said.

"Like ice cream on a summer day," Roxas said. "It's easy to make it disappear!"

They ran across the great treadmill, fighting off the heartless and get back to Boogie as Sora and Riku took the distracted moment to attack Lexaeus while Valdamar used his whip to break Santa free from Oggie's grip. Jack than sent a dazzle of spells at Oggie Boogie, sending the bag of bugs back. Lexaeus may have been strong and swift enough to keep Sora and Riku at bay, but it wasn't enough to stop Kairi who had snuck up from behind. "AURA!" she shouted.

The blast of light blasted at Lexaeus as it sent him through the air, through Riku, and straight into Ultima Weapon. Lexaeus feel to the floor, but quickly pounded the ground as the entire structure shook, heartless and conveyer belt flying up in the air, the others trying to stay balanced. Sora got from he had fallen just than to see Lexaeus grab a device from his cloak. "I was trying to save this for a future use, but you leave me no choice."

He clicked the device, and disappeared in a white flash. "What happened?" Kairi asked.

"He went through time," Santa said walking over.

"BUT YOU FORGOT ABOUT ME!"

Suddenly Oggie jumped from where Jack had him cornered, an odd glow around him. "You see, he promised me a power, and now, I can take you all on!" he laughed.

It was only then he noticed that the power was breaking apart his bag. "No! No! That can't be!" he said, trying to keep himself together.

"The darknessss he gave you can't work with ssssome many bugsssss in you. It cannot be contained," Yami said, moving over as Riku saw a small stream of the darkness being absorbed by her.

"NO!" Oggie cried out. "My bugs! My bugs! My bugs! My bugs! My bugs!" The voice getting softer as Oggie deflated as the bugs fell out of the bag, unable to take the power of darkness. One large bug tried to scuttle away, but Yami swung the tip of her tail and squished it, a smile of success on her face. "I hate bugs," she simply said.

"That still leaves Lexaeus," Sora said, turning to Santa. "Please, you've got to help us. Can you open a door to let us stop him."

"I can for helping us, but not for you Sora."

"Huh?"

"Looks like you made the naughty list this year," Riku joked.

"That's not it," Valdamar said, scratching his metal chin with his real hand. "What I think Santa is getting at is that if you went back in time and met yourself, that would cause a time paradox."

"Wait, one of those things that makes the entire universe explode?" Axel said.

"Theoretically, but we can't take that chance," Santa said. "So Sora, we can only send someone not already existing in that current time and place, and someone you did not already know at the time."

******

Neku, Valdamar, and Yami crouched as they saw a younger Sora with Donald, Goofy, and Jack run across the hill that stretched out so they could get to Oggie Boogie. "But why bring back the house is my question," Neku said as they sneaked after them in the past.

"From what I can guess," Valdamar said, "for some reason Lexaeus believed that having the house in the current time frame would keep the house the way it was in the past time frame, that way not disturb events if he had gone back through time.

"Well, Mr. Sssscience, wassss that the best you could explain to usss in sssimple termssss," Yami hissied, trying to keep up with the two that still had legs.

"Yes madam snake. I thought saying anything much more complicated would cause you to shed your skin."

"I really hate you," Yami said.

"Yeah, you're a great friend too."

Yami laughed slightly. "It's been a while sssince we've been able to joke, huh?"

"Yeah. Let's laugh later though. We've got to get to that Royal Scroll before Lexaeus."

"Going somewhere?" said a familiar voice behind them.

The turned just as Lexaeus sent a blast of darkness at the three. Yami quickly moved in front of them, absorbing the blast and sending it back at Lexaeus who blocked the darkness with his weapon, causing it to dissipate. "GO!" Yami yelled. "I will take care of him."

Neku nodded and zoomed even faster across the haunted land of the past, Valdamar running besides him for a second. He then quickly turned around. "What are you doing?!" Neku said.

_Go on, _Valdamar thought, knowing Neku could hear them. _Yami can distract him, but not keep him back alone. You can do this, I trust you. _ Neku nodded, and glided faster, his reaper cloak twirling in the wind going pass him. He then saw a fallen group of trees that lay in front of him hidden in the shadows. He quickly telepathically took the scythe from his back and used it to cut through them. He continued to zoom forward as he came upon Oggie's house from a back way.

He used a powerful but draining psych power to get up to the top part of Oggie's house from behind. He gently landed as he could hear voices from inside. He instantly recognized it as the three annoying kids they stopped earlier (or would it be later?) as they told Sora, Donald, Goody, and Jack of the past about Oggie being in the lower level. After they left, the kids snickered. "At least they didn't see that new thing Oggie told us to keep secret," came Barrel's voice.

"What do you think it is anyway?" Lock asked, as the kids began to talk wildly about this hidden treasure was.

Neku debated on how he could get in and get the Royal Scroll, moving the scythe with his skeleton hand. Wait, he had all the tools, why not just act. He pulled the hood over his face, and put the scythe in his human hand. He then floated inches above the ground, and broke in through the window and swept into the room. The kids cried out at once. "Who are you?!"

_I…I am Death! _Neku broadcasted thoughts into their minds, preventing form using his voice, and then pointed his skeleton finger at them. _And the time has come for the three of you._

"N-N-No! Please! Spare us!" the kids began to give pleas to not die.

_Hm…well, what do you have to trade to keep your lives for the moment?_

They offered random things that were in the room, but Neku just shook his head each time. Finally, Shock held up the piece of the Royal Scroll she had been clinging onto. Neku quickly snatched it from her and pretended to browse it over. _I see….hm…yes. This will do. But remember, I will come back to get you._ Neku thought, and then quickly exited from where he had entered and floated safely to the ground, throwing off his hood as went to rejoin Yami and Valdamar.

******

Yami and Valdamar together held back Lexeaus' ax sword, but his strength for some strange reason seemed to be increasing as the battle went on. They both pushed back as much as they could, but he managed to knock them to the ground. He then gave a war yell as he brought up his weapon raised to bring the final blow. However, something flung through the air and lifted it out of his hands. He turned to see Neku flying through the air, the hood back over his head. Lexeaus grabbed his weapon again, ready to throw it at Neku, but Yami had quickly moved her long tail across the ground, knocking the Brown Cloaked Seeker back, his weapon flying off course. Neku than blasted a yellow beam at the soulz, sending him further in the air. Valdamar than aimed his cyber-eye at him, and blasted a red laser at him.

Before it reached him, the soulz disappeared in portal. "Where'd he go?" Neku asked.

"Who knows, all we know is that he left. He knew he could not stop us." Valdamar said.

"Do you have it?" Yami asked.

Neku held up the Royal Scroll in his hand. Just then, an explosion rocked the ground as they saw a red flame go up in the air. "I take it that was the house," Valdamar said.

Neku nodded. "Let's head back."

******

They had come back through the time portal, and all celebrated upon getting the Royal Scroll piece, but Santa was gone. "Where is he?" Neku asked.

"Don't you know what today is?" Sora asked.

It than hit Valdamar. "It's Christmas Eve!"

"Yeah, so he already left," Goofy said, but he left us this.

He then opened a door to reveal a large room with several lines of food and also a tree with gifts underneath it. A banner that read "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" hung from above. They all began to feast, glad to take a break from the fighting. And after Jack left saying he had to rejoin Sally, to whom they were going to marry, Donald changed everyone back to normal, Yami glad she had legs and could actually talk and Roxas that he wasn't completely furry. Everyone even had rooms for the night that Santa had accommodated.

It was later that most of the group began to walk around when Axel discovered a piano. Slowly, he hit a few keys. Than it came back to him. The days when life was normal for him. When life passed when he wished it too. Not when battle was always concerned. He slowly sat down, and began a chord. He then began to play a powerful but smooth piece. **Neku's Playlist: Midnight Rhapsody by Melody Bober.**

Slowly, nearly everyone came in the part of the building to see who was playing. "I never knew you could play Axel," Roxas said.

"Well, couldn't really have emotions for music when a Nobody. How Demyx ever played that Sitar is a mystery to me."

He continued to play the piece until Riku noticed that someone was missing. He then walked to find out where they were. He then came across Yami sitting on a balcony, a light snow coming down from above. "Out here all alone?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" Yami asked, not turning around.

"Because…you're a friend."

Yami was silent. She only spoke after a little bit. "I've only ever had one friend before, and that was Valdamar about a year ago."

"How was that?"

"Fate I guess."

"Well, perhaps this is fate again. Us running into each other trying to find Royal Scroll. And now we have nine pieces of it."

Yami nodded. "We're closer to our goals."

Riku walked up next to her, leaning against the railing. "Mind if I join you."

"I don't care too much."

It was silent again. "You know…it's odd. I've never really had friends or a Christmas before. I've only seen glimpses of both."

"Well, it seems you have friends for gifts this year," Riku said, turning to look at the starry sky.

Yami gave a rare smile that was an actual smile. "Well…I guess that's a gift I didn't expect."

The two stood out on the balcony, looking at the night as Axel changed to playing a Christmas tune to the piano, to where everyone started singing it. Sora and Kairi stood next to each other, when Sora's voice broke and went really high pitched, to where Kairi laughed really hard, walking back. Sora walked over to her, laughing as well. "You okay," he said, all smiles.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she laughed. She than looked up, and was slightly surprised. "Um…Sora?"

"Hm?"

"Look up."

Sora looked up at the top of the doorway to see mistletoe hanging. Sora immediately began to blush. "Oh…well, I guess you know what that means," he said.

Kairi giggled. "Yeah, I guess so."

Slowly, Sora leaned his head forward, as he and Kairi kissed each other, the faint piano music in the background with their friends singing with, the snow falling on the ground softly outside. For once, all was calm.

* * *

Well, I finally reached the point I wanted by the end of the year. A little holiday special chapter, having this world done in one chapter. However, don't expect the next chapter for a little bit as I'll be out of the country (in Canada) for a few days, and then have to a lot of things when I get back, so the next part should be sometime in early/mid January, we'll see.

Thanks to all of the readers and reviews you guys have made. Enjoy the New Year!!!

_Dezblade_


	55. 54: Something afoot here

((Notes: I know I said I'd take a break, but I didn't expect it to be a month and half either. A lot of stuff just hit me at once recently, sorry guys.

Also you will notice a difference in name to Kairi's keyblade to "Destiny Place". This is because this the confirmed name of Kairi's keyblade. When I go back and edit the entire thing sometime, I'll make that change to the previous chapters.

And as a forewarning, things are going to get darker. Much darker.))

* * *

Chapter 54: "Something's afoot here…"

The three Gummi Ships flew back towards Radiant Garden in a V formation as they neared the world. "How's it look Valdamar?" Sora asked.

Valdamar looked down at the radar screen to see if anything was near the area of Cid's hanger they had left from last time they were there. "Nothing's there. We're all clear for a landing."

The three ships slowed down as they descended into the hanger. However, as soon as the engines stopped running on the ships, heartless ran out from underneath the corners and began to attack the ships. "I thought you said there was nothing!" Neku said as he readied himself by the door.

Valdamar looked at the radar. "Apparently someone is jamming it. I can't even see the other two ships on here anymore."

Sora summoned Ultima weapon as Kairi got Destiny Place in her hands. "We'll just care of them and figure why they attacked the ships," Sora said as he opened the door.

Sora opened the door to the ship to be immediately greeted by a three heartless as swung Ultima Weapon sending them back away from the ship. He, Kairi, Neku, and Valdamar quickly got out and fought off the heartless, the others from the other two ships followed suit. Soon, the hanger was back to normal. "Why were all the heartless there?" Goofy asked. "We've never had the heartless waiting for us."

"What's all the noise out here?" Cid said loudly as he walked into the hanger. "Oh, looks like you're back. Although I don't know two of you."

"Cid, this is Valdamar and Yami," Sora said introducing the two. "This is Cid. Our Gummi Ships would be useless without him."

"I must say, very impressive engineering," Valdamar said shaking hands with Cid.

"Yeah, well that's the least we can worry about for now. What was going on here?"

"Heartless," Yami said. "Seems like they were waiting for us."

"Which means Maleficent is on the move. Or one of her group," Riku said.

"Well, I can tell you right now, those would be the first heartless sighted since a day after you all left."

"You mean there's been no heartless?" King Mickey asked.

"Not a single one. But I guess if they're hiding out, perhaps we ought to stand guard. However, you just made good timing. That weird friend of yours was spotted outside of town."

"Samen?" Axel asked.

"Yeah. Left a not earlier today if anyone saw you to go find him."

"Well, let's go already!" Sora said running ahead.

Nearly everyone followed as Kairi stopped for a second to ask Cid a question. "Hey Cid…how's Aerith holding up?"

Cid scratched the back of his head. "The Geostigma's gone, but I still fear for her some reason. This isn't the first time she has ever acted this way before."

"Tell her if she needs anything, we'll do what we can."

"I will. Now hurry up, they'll leave you behind."

Kairi nodded and ran after the rest of the group.

*****

The five stood on the edge of the cliff as they saw the group. "So these are those with the keyblades you spoke about," the nobody asked, moving his silver hair.

Larxene nodded. "Yep, the brats haven't changed. Axel still only probably with them because of stupid Roxas. I never liked the kid, but then never liked that Sora either so it makes sense."

The eighth member made an exclamation as he looked down at the group, his hood still over his head. "That doesn't add up. Why is that digit with them?"

"Who?" asked Larxene.

"Neku."

"Hm. Oh, apparently that one recently joined up with them apparently meeting them in this same world. You know him?"

The eighth member turned to look at Larxene as he smiled devilishly once again. "This is going to be a very interesting reunion indeed."

*****

"Samen?" Sora asked as he ran into the wrecked plaza, the others walking behind him.

"I don't think he's here Sora," Donald said.

"Who is this guy anyway?" Neku asked.

"He's the one who told us all about the Crossroad and the Royal Scroll. And Axel knows him, right Axel?"

Axel looked up towards the blue cliffs. "You could say?"

"Really Axel, what do you know about him?" Namine asked.

Axel was silent. "I made…a promise. Sorry."

Sora immediately thought about the King's promise with Riku when Riku had taken on the form of Xehanort's heartless. "About what?" Valdamar said. "Not being able to tell anyone about what to say about something. Really, I want to meet this guy. Last time I talked with people I didn't know much about…that turn out so well."

"You can trust me."

Sora turned to see Samen slowly walking down the steps towards the ruined plaza approaching the twelve. "I see you got my message."

"Yeah, we did. Did you find anything more about the Royal Scroll?" Sora asked.

"Or the Seekers?" Riku asked.

"I did. It seems that the Royal Scroll has many instructions written on it. Some sections are supposed to talk about the Crossroads, the creation of keyblades, and some other 'relics' of sorts."

"Like the Crystal of Darkness," Yami said stepping forward towards Samen. "Tell me what you know about the Crystal of Darkness and where it is. That's the only reason I have my fight."

Samen sighed. "You must be the other keyblade wielder I expected to exist. One who uses the darkness. If I may, could I see the pieces of the Royal Scroll that you have so far?" Samen asked.

"I still don't trust this guy. Something's afoot here," Valdamar said slowly taking out his whip.

"Vald, put that away. He's on our side," Kairi said.

"Yes Valdamar Allen, I am on your side," Samen said turning to look at him.

Valdamar without a second thought cracked his whip at Samen. Samen quickly moved his arm as the whip lashed around his wrist. Samen then tugged forward and yanked Valdamar off his feet and sent him into a piece of rubble. "Valdamar!" Namine said running to him.

Axel stopped her as he summoned his Charklams. "Vald's right. I know Samen, and he would not act like this."

The figure looked at Axel through his mask giving a laugh that didn't match Samen's voice. "Well Valdamar, having to ruin everything as usual."

The figure shifted and shimmered till Xidmun stood there in his Purple Cloak. "I guess took you for granted, old friend. What was that made you so sure that I wasn't that old man?"

Valdamar slowly stood up, Namine helping him. "It's easy, Xidmun. Only you ever used that name with me."

"But isn't that your name?"

Yami suddenly came up with Dark Whisper against the soulz throat. "I think you've gone a little too far there. Even for me."

"Where's Samen!" Donald asked.

"I wouldn't know that. After all, I just take forms of others. However, I believe in the near future you're going to have much more prominent problems than finding that fool."

With that, Xidmun disappear in a flash of smoke from where was standing back to the top of the staircase. A yellow and black portal opened next to him as Larxene stepped out. "Oh, so soon Xidmun. I thought you would have been better than that."

"Enough Larxene. I has my other mission to carry out. You have yours to fulfill," Xidmun said before disappearing in his own portal.

Kairi than heard something as she saw heard a loud noise from the top of the cliffs. Suddenly, three figures on motorcycles jumped over the cliff and made their way over the cliff and fell back onto the ground, heading back for Radiant Garden. "Who was that?" Roxas asked.

Larxene shrugged. "Oh, some weirdoes that Banirith is making a deal with us. Not one of us, mind you. Just a little agreement. We give them something, they give us something, you know how it works. Now, about the Royal Scroll," Larxene said reading her daggers.

"You think all of us against you is a good idea?" Roxas said.

"No, not all of you are fighting me."

Suddenly, a large explosion went off near the town as they could see a building starting to crumble. "What did you do?" Riku said.

"Not us. It those with the heartless. We learned of their plan to attack and figured we might as well come here."

"Great, both of our enemies in one place at once," Valdamar said.

"Exactly. Which I will allow some of you to go. Now, who will go and who will stay?"

Roxas jumped forward, Oblivion and Oathkeeper appearing in his hands as he did so. Larxene quickly brought up her arms, the gauntlets under her cloak keeping the blades from attacking her. "It's time to end this Larxene!" Roxas said, Axel and Namine stepping next to him. "Go, we'll take care of her. Go after the heartless and those guys on the bikes," Axel said.

Sora nodded, and they all ran off back towards Radiant Garden as Namine shot an ice spell at Larxene, who moved with enhanced speed to the other side of the ruined plaza. "Pretty quick to attack me there Roxas. Why the sudden move?"

"Long after you were gone and defeated by Sora, I realized what the organization was doing was wrong and left. I also got the idea that you didn't think I was important to the group at all."

"Of course not," Larxene said. "If we had gotten Sora under our control back then, he would have been much more capable of our goals then you would."

"Well than explain me," Axel said as he rushed forward, twirling around with his charklams.

Larxene was nicked by one of the attack but sent a lightning bolt straight at Axel sending him back. "You were double crossing us from the start, and don't try to deny that!"

Namine readied Artist's Touch as Larxene came towards her. "And you…the little witch that ruined everything. All of Marluxia's plans. And here you stand before me with a keyblade." Larxene gave a laugh. "Even so, you're still as weak as you ever were. You'll never change."

Larxene rushed forward as Roxas came in from the side, blocking her from getting to Namine. "You won't touch her!" he yelled.

"Oh, does the little punk think he has feelings now that he's no longer a nobody?" Larxene said in a fake, sweet voice. She suddenly uppercut Roxas with her daggers, and threw them in the air after him. Some golden blood came from his body as he came back to the ground. Larxene zoomed forward, poised to claw him just as a she suddenly stopped. "What…I…AHHHHHH!" she said crouching forward, holding her head.

Namine walked over to her, Artist's Touch pointed at her. "That's right. We have feeling Larxene, just as you do. We are no longer empty shells, we are souls full of emotions and feelings. And also a plentiful amount of memories," Namine said, as she swung at Larxene.

Larxene fell back from the blow but stood alert again. "You dared and tried to mess with my mind? I must say, you have leaned any manners at all. Prepare to die, witch!"

*****

The group ran forward when they neared the edge of town when a figure stood in their path. "Who goes there?" Donald demanded.

The figure stepped out of the shadow of the wall to reveal himself. He wore an Organization cloak, but this one was jagged and torn in places, several holes here and there. There were also random streaks of red across the black cloak. The brim of hat stuck out partially beneath the figure's hood. "Another Seeker?" Kairi said.

"What the factor took so long? What were you walking the entire way here. Bunch of yoctograms, so what should I expect anyways."

"You've been waiting for us?" Valdamar said.

"You're so zetta slow!" he said moving his arm in a dramatic movement.

Neku gasped and slowly stepped backwards. "No, it can't be!" Neku said.

"What?" Kairi asked.

The Seeker laughed and tore off his hood, revealing the face of an eighteen-yer-old young man, a maniac grin on his face and a grey hat upon his messy hair. "Attention, binomials of the system! Introducing your new Seeker...His name...is ME! Sho Minamimoto!"

* * *

Sho Minamimoto a.k.a. The Torn Coated Seeker- Sho Minamimoto was the youngest Game Master that Neku had to face off with twice back when he was trying to reclaim his life. More a mathematician than a brawler, it is revealed he excels in all areas of leadership except one -- he will not cooperate with others. Given his obsession with mathematics, he loves to speak in mathematical terms with other people. He first appeared in 2008 in _The World Ends With You_

The final Seeker has been revealed! Can't say when the next chapter will be up, but it will be a long with lots of action, so be prepared for a really long fight chapter.

Once again, sorry about not updating, it's just life has been really busy and I'm starting to do lots of outside writing at the moment, leaving me with many projects in and out of school (this being one of them).

_Dezblade_


	56. 55: The Forgotten City

Chapter 55: The Forgotten City

Aerith and Cloud stood at the edge of the Forgotten City. "Aerith…are you sure about this? Those guys are suspicious."

Aerith looked at Cloud. "Cloud, we both know what has to be done. The Holy material has to be returned. Even if it means repeating past event before."

Aerith began to walk into the woods as Cloud went to follow her. "Aerith…how could I..."

Aerith touched Cloud's face. "It'll be alright. Everything is better in the end."

*****

Minamimoto stepped forward. "Out of the way insignificant digits! I have some catching up to do."

As he took another step forward, everyone took a defensive stance. "Tsk. Tsk. This is subtracting from my arts and crafts time. I don't have any quarrel with you…keybladers it was?"

"You really are new to the Seekers. Don't even know they're against us," Riku said.

"Neku, you know this guy?" Goofy said.

Neku just stared at Sho. "Remember how I told you my story back on the train. This is the guy who was the second Game Master I came across. The one who came back as one of the Noise."

"And is back again! Turns out I got a good soul after all. How about you digit? You a soul too?"

Neku shook his head. "I'm alive and complete. I beat him. There is no more conductor."

Sho looked slightly surprised, but grinned afterwards cracking his knuckles. "Well, that means it'll be easier to become the Composer once I get my body and heart back."

"Wait, you mean the Seekers are just trying to get back to their original selves like Organization XIII?" King Mickey said.

Neku shook his head. "No. This guy has never worked well with others. It's probably his own agenda."

"Who gives a digit?" the Torn-Coated Seeker said as he suddenly became a blur and plowed through everyone knocking them off their feet. "Ha! You factorials really don't have any fight in you!" he said.

Neku spun back up, fire in his hands. He quickly spun around in the air, the fire going around as a ring as he spun forward. The Seeker just teleported in a second to back to where the group had come from. "Ready to be erased?" he said he summoned green orbs in his hands.

He flung the orbs onto the ground next to him causing a quick flash. In place of the orbs were soulz that seemed to be like living, three dimensional tattoo lions that shinned gold and green. One leaped forward at Neku. Before it reached him, the crack of a whip sent the soulz back a few feet. Valdamar stepped next to Neku. "Sorry whack, but you'll find us a bit harder to erase. How you got to control the Panthera soulz is a new trick I must say though."

"Get out of the way fancy man. This is all me and ol' headphone here," said Sho.

"I see three," Yami said walking up, pointing at the former Game Master and the two Pantheras. "So I believe that only three on three is fair."

Vald turned to look at the other six. "Go on! We can take care of ourselves."

Riku nodded. "Let's go."

The others run as Neku poised himself ready, preparing a psych blat, Valdamar unsheathing his sword, and Yami gathering an orb of darkness. Sho threw his hands out and the two Panthera soulz ran forward. Yami threw the darkness orb at one, but the tattoo creature simply passed through as there was not much actual substance to the creature. It slammed into Yami sending her down. She quickly brought up Dark Whisper keeping the teeth of the soulz away from her face. "Not today beast," Yami said as she sent a gust of wind at the soulz sending it off of her.

She leaned back on her hands, feet poised up in the air for a second. She than pushed off with her hands so she landed upright on her two feet with her knees bent. She got up and slashed horizontally at the soulz as it took the hit straight on. The creature clawed at her to which she cried out slightly as she could see the claws had managed to break the surface of her skin. "You wish had not done that."

Valdamar had blocked the first attack from the Panthera with his blade Banisher, and pushed it off. Using his whip, he cracked it sending back the tattoo lion slight in a flinch. Vald gave a small grin. Even as a twisted soul, the lion still backed away from the whip based off its normal instinct as a lion. Vald cracked it again, but the creature ran forward right after the whip had been cracked. Valdamar quickly stepped to the side as the beast had missed. He swiped his sword, by the blade missed the tattoo formation of the beast and passed through thin air. The beast pounced upon Valdamar sending him down on the ground and sending his sword skittering across the ground. He got up to retrieve it, but the beast stepped in front of his way and roared. "Oh, going to play it that way, huh," Valdamar said easing forward, whip first.

Neku slid past Sho again as he laughed crazily. "SINE!" he yelled zoomed across again, punching downward.

"COSINE!" An uppercut.

"TANGENT!" He then said bringing his fist in a straight on punch, but Neku caught in a yellow hand.

"Take this!" Neku said sending a blast from his hand and sent Sho backwards towards a wall, who simply turned in midair so his feet landed flat, and he ran up the wall going into a flip, and landed back onto his feet back to Neku. Neku sent a icicle at the turned foe, but he disappeared and came back behind him. "DIE!" Sho yelled as he thrust his arm at Neku in a psychic blast.

Neku rolled on the floor for a ground for a little bit, but stopped himself and got up, blood coming from his nose. The two old rivals faced each other off, waiting for the other to make the first move.

*****

Riku panted as he ran down the alley. The six of them managed to get back to Radiant Garden when they had been ambushed by heartless. Because of that, they all got separated from one another. He just hoped they were all alright. He however saw a familiar face up ahead as he saw a man with an odd-handled blade fighting off the Heartless. A Wizard came up behind the man, but Riku jumped through the air and cut through it. Leon turned to see the teenager who had come out of nowhere. "Riku, wasn't it?"

"And you're Leon," Riku said as the two stood back to back as several Air Soldier and Soldier heartless approached them. "You doing fine?" Riku asked.

"Depends if any more show up. They seem to be distracting us from something though. Cid did a scan of the city but there's no bombs anywhere."

Riku blocked an attack from a swiped through a heartless when he saw Knight Heartless show up. "Looks like Maleficent might be here. Some of the higher heartless just joined the party."

"Well, let's get rid of them quickly. I'd like to give the witch a word or two."

"Leon!"

"Piece of cake."

Leon jumped over Riku and spun around as several red orbs appeared in the circle he had drawn with his gunblade. The small orbs exploding sending the weaker heartless back as Riku jumped into the air and slashed through every single heartless with a Dark Aura. Riku landed back next to Leon. The two aimed their weapons together as one red orb and a piece of darkness integrated becoming two dark orbs. The two began to fire the dark orbs at the around in a huge circle around them. They looked at each other and jumped into the air and clashed their blades together. Upon doing so, lines shot from every single orb so they connected to every single other orb creating a web of explosion obliterating heartless in the small area save for a few that became stunned. Leon patted the gunblade over his shoulder. "Well, that went better than I believed it would."

"Let's try to and figure out what's going on," Riku said and looked around.

Than close to the castle, fumes of smoke rose up in the air. "Good as a place as any," Leon said, and the two ran off towards the smoke.

*****

Sora backed against the wall, Donald and Goofy next to him. The Knight heartless were approaching closer, closing them within a semicircle. Sora looked around at Donald and Goofy. "Well guys, I think it's time we used Master Form."

"Go it!" said Donald.

"You bet!" Goofy said.

Sora used the tip of his keyblade to touch Goofy's shoulder and his left hand on Donald's. "DRIVE!"

There was a quick flash of light, and Sora was donned in yellow clothes with Ultima Weapon in hand and Star Seeker floating just beyond his other. "No time for you guys!" Sora said running forward, Keyblades slashing at the heartless.

*****

Kairi ran through the street, the heartless following her. She quick ran around a corner when all of the sudden she was swept off her feet and went to make a cry, but a hand was put over her mouth. She looked up to see Yuffie holding a finger up to her lips. Kairi looked down and saw the heartless run down the street passing them. When they were gone, Yuffie dropped Kairi back to the ground from the rooftop she had been on top. "Sometimes you just got to outwit them," Yuffie said.

Suddenly the heartless came running back as Cid was running behind them, staff in hand as he began batting them against the houses on the side of the street. Yuffie and Kairi blocked the way of the heartless as they both attack the heartless, leaving them no exit as they quickly finished them off. "Well, that sorts them out." Cid said whipping his forehead.

"Thanks Cid!" Yuffie said cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah," he said.

"Do you have any idea what's going on with the heartless?" Kairi asked. "The Seekers are also here and those weird guys on those bikes."

"What do you know about them?" Cid said.

"Nothing, do you?"

"No. All we know is they went after Cloud and Aerith."

"Then we have to go after them! Where did they go?"

*****

King Mickey spun around and knocked down the heartless as it disappeared. "That's the last one," he said before running over to Merlin. "You alright?"

Merlin sighed as he got up from the ground. "Yes, quite so. Thank you your majesty. I came down here because it seemed where the heartless were coming from when so many came out at once. I really just don't know what's going on."

Before the King could respond, an explosion went off in a house nearby as the two stepped back and saw the house ablaze. Soon, they heard coughing and saw a figure running out. It was Ba'Gamnan wielding his saw weapon as he ran into the street yelling. King Mickey and Merlin quickly moved out of the way of the swipe of the weapon as the bounty hunter growled. "How did you find me? And how dare you take down the factory we were building?" he spat at them.

"No just wait a minute," Merlin said. "You mean to say the reason all of these heartless were coming from here was because you were making a new heartless factory?"

Ba'Gamnan pointed his weapon threateningly with the saw blades running at them. "Of course. Now if it weren't for that bomb than I would have gotten you by now. How did you know it was here?"

"We did."

King Mickey looked up to see Balthier and Fran standing on the rooftops, pistol and bow ready. "Balthier! You're still here?" Ba'Gaman said, temper rising.

"Well, I figure there's a time to flee and another to stand your ground. How about you?" Balthier said reaping his weapon.

"That's it! I'll take you all down at once!" Ba'Gaman said he twirled around his Ba'Gamnansaw in the air and then pounded the staff end into the ground.

For a moment, nothing happened. Than the burning building burst apart as an enormous heartless burst through , it scale like body covered in the flames from the fire. It stood at ten feet tall hunching over, massive arms wielding dangerous looking claws where there should be hands. A tail with spikes moved back and forth behind it, it's gray, reptilian body unaffected by the flames around it. It roared at them as Ba'Gamnan ran forward. King Mickey brought up his keyblade up in defense as Merlin swept a magical spell at the heartless on ice. As soon as the ice spell hit the monster, the ice formed around its scaly body and doused the flames as a layer of ice formed over it. It roared again and swung its ice incased arm at Balthier and Fran who jumped off the building in the nick of time. "It's absorbing the spells!" Merlin exclaimed as he stepped backwards.

Suddenly from above, Riku and Leon jumping down from a taller building as the fell towards them. Riku landed on the head of the beast as he plunged the keyblade into the ice trying to get off the Elemental Heartless. The being swiped its large claws at Riku, but could never hit him. Leo than ran at Ba'Gamnan dueling the bounty hunter with his Gunblade. "It's time you stopped these attacks you've wrecked upon by those here!"

"I'd like to see you try human!"

The two dueled as King Mickey and Merlin ran over to Balthier and Fran as they got up, dusting themselves off. "I say, are you alright?" Merlin asked.

"We'll be fine. But we may need some help with this one," Fran said knocking an arrow, and letting it fly. The arrow zoomed through the air and nearly hit the Heartless in its yellow eye.

The Heartless roared in rage at the strike, finally knocking Riku and charging towards them. It raised one of its claws to strike down upon them, but a figure quickly moved in front of the way, their sword blocking the attack. "Auron!" the King said.

The man pushed the heartless and readied himself. "It seems that this town is in need of assistance once again," he said as Riku ran over towards the group.

"We really haven't got time for this!" Riku said. "We have to follow those guys on the bikes!"

"Leave this to us then!"

Riku looked up to see Yuffie and Cid running in, Kairi right behind them. Cid ran at Ba'Gamnan as used his staff to parry back the ring section of the bounty hunters weapon from hitting Leon. Ba'Gamnan backed off slightly as he saw that he was quickly being outnumbered. The Elemental charged forward however as Yuffie jumped through the air, shuriken flying at its face. It gave a cry of pain as it squinted, waving its claws blindly covered with ice. King Mickey and Auron ran forward, both slashing at the arms of the beast, Balthier and Fran firing from a distance. "The men on the bikes headed towards the Forgotten City to the west. You must hurry. I'll go for the others," Merlin told Riku and Kairi before disappearing in a flash.

"You alright?" Riku asked as the two began to run to the edge of the city.

"I'm fine. Did you run into anyone else when we got split up?"

Riku shook his head there. "Other than right there, no I haven't met anyone."

They ran at the edge of the city as there were less and less houses as Riku could begin to see some trees. The trees were really odd though as the sun began to set, for it appeared that they were glowing. As soon as the two crossed the tree line, however, a number of heartless sprung up from the ground and began to attack. "It's an ambush!" Kairi cried out quickly blocking a Soldier with Destiny Place.

Riku jumped to the side of a Red Crescendo and quickly swiped through it. "There's a lot of them. We're going to have to be quick!"

A Morning Star jumped into the air above them, but quickly disappeared as a figure in yellow was in the air swiping keyblades. "Sora!" Kairi said.

Sora began to twirl the two keyblades as a he began to create a small whirlwind as heartless were lifted off the ground twirling around him for a few seconds before the whirlwind stopped with a quick ring of energy blasted around Sora hitting the heartless and finishing them. He landed to the ground in a flash of light, where he returned to normal with Donald and Goofy next to him. "You guys okay?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, looks like you're doing fine yourself," Riku said.

"We've got to hurry!" Kairi said. "Cid told me that those three were following Cloud and Aerith into the Forgotten City. We've got to help them."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Donald yelled as the five ran further into the woods as the night became darker.

* * *

_Leon's Hemispheres_

Sorry for not updating, got a little sick but I'm doing better. As for all this stuff with the Forgotten City at the edge of Radiant Garden will be explained soon.

_Dezblade_


	57. 56: Warpped World

Chapter 56: Warped World

Namine blocked Larxene again with Artist's Touch, Larxene's coat now shredded where the gauntlets were under showing the yellow and blue designs coloring it. "You never learn!" Larxene shouted sending a lightning bolt from the sky at Namine sending her back.

Axel quickly caught Namine before she hit the ground, throwing one of charklams at the Savage Nymph. She moved amazing speed to the side and continued going back in forth in a zig-zag towards them, lightning striking in front of her continuously. Roxas got up from the ground, breathing heavily with anger keeping him moving. He jumped into the air and began to glide at Larxene from above, watching out for the lightning before he threw both keyblades towards the ground in front of her path. Larxene has to stop briefly to avoid being struck by Roxas' weapons, but it was enough time for Namine to raise Artist's Touch. "Aura!" she cried as a beam came from the keyblade and sent Larxene back.

Larxene got up slowly as the other three panted, all tired out from exhaustion. Before they could make another move, they all felt something. It was if an invisible ripple had gone through the air flowing through each soulz. Larxene turned to look at Radiant Garden. "Well, it seems I've had enough for now."

"What do you mean? What was that?" Roxas asked he grabbed his keyblades from the ground.

"Hmph. Wouldn't you like to know?" Larxene said as she disappeared in a portal.

Roxas as Namine both sat back onto the ground, tired as they panted. "You alright Roxas?" Namine asked.

Roxas nodded, but was looking at Axel as he paced back and forth, his eyes moving back and forth as if he were expecting something to pop up at them. "Axel, what's wrong?"

"You all felt that, right? Last time that happened-"

"-the leader of the Seekers had warped our dimension."

On the stone stairs stood Samen, his silver mask looking damaged. "And before you ask, I am the real one. I saw the impersonator as I came from the ridge and was nearly attacked by those on the motorcycles."

"What do you mean he warped our dimension?" Roxas asked.

"Roxas, it is because of what he did, the former members of Organization XIII's soulz were able to exist here, including me."

"It seems before there were only three soulz of the Seekers, as well as myself and lower being soulz before this warp. But now that another warp has conceived, I am not sure what may happen."

"So are we only effected by it?" Namine asked.

Axel shook his head. "No. We probably noticed it the most being soulz, but the other probably felt it as well."

"There is no time. I believe the warp happened on the other side of the city, so we must act quickly," Samen said he began to quickly move back to the city as the Soulz followed him. As they approached, they could see a fight going on up ahead.

"Come on!" Roxas said running forward, Axel and Namine right behind him.

Roxas ran up next to Yami coming from the side knocked back the Panthera soulz to the ground. "Stay back!" he yelled as Namine shot a beam of light at, only to have it pass through. "You've got to hit it physically. Magic does nothing!" Yami said running forward slicing through the beast a final time as it disappeared into the air.

Axel ran forward towards Valdamar as he clenched onto his charklams. Valdamar saw Axel and jumped out of the way as Axel charged forward spinning around wildly slicing the soulz over and over. The Flurry of Dancing Flames took the soulz by surprise with it speed and close, rapid attacks causing it to back only back towards Valdamar gave a robust swipe through the soulz, causing it to disappear. "I suppose thanks are in need," he said.

"Or what radian?" they heard Sho Minamimoto say.

Samen had stepped between Neku and the Torn Coated Seeker, holding up a gloved hand. "Leave now. You have done enough."

"Nice try, but you're out of your vector!" he said throwing a hand forward releasing an yellow blast.

The blast came at Samen, but never hit him as a Reflect spell came around him as the blast quickly came up around him and reflected back at the Seeker, blowing him back into the air. Minamimoto stayed suspended in midair as he looked at Samen. "You've got some exponents up your sleeve there," he said, slightly upset.

Samen made a gesture with his arm, moving it in a circle. "Return from whence you came. You have no further business with us here."

"Heh. It was getting boring anyway," the teenager said disappearing in a portal.

"You're the real Samen," Yami said walking forward, Dark Whisper still raised.

Samen nodded. "And I see you wield a keyblade. Perhaps you are the final path we have been searching for."

"Look, I didn't join up because of this crossroad you've been all talking about. We just share a similar goal of getting the Royal Scroll. I have information I want from that."

"The Dark Crystal is a force not be reckoned with young lady."

Yami gave him a cold stare. "How do you know about that? And I am not a lady!"

"Look, there's no time," Axel said interrupting. "Did any of you feel that wave? Like some kind of energy going through the air?"

"Kind of. Why?" Neku said healing himself.

"It means Banirith or someone else has begun to warp our dimension. Who knows what it may have caused."

Samen nodded. "I know the three of you may not know me, but we must find the others as fast as we can."

A blue flash enveloped the group as they disappeared into a flash.

*****

King Mickey and Auron attacked the Elemental together, sending it back against the towering concrete wall, electrical bolts now caressing its scales. It roared as it shot a beam at them from its maw. They ran the opposite way jumping at length to miss the beam. Mickey got back up as Yuffie threw her shuriken at it again, but it hardly did anything. "We need more help to bring this down."

Ba'Gamnan swiped his weapon, causing Leon and Balthier fall down to the ground. "This is where you meet your end!" the bounty hunter said raising his weapon over his head.

Suddenly they became blinded by a light. Balthier turned to see sever people, most of them young standing there, two he recognized being from his encounter with Sora. "You forgot the leading man often has a supporting cast!" Balthier said as he kicked at Ba'Gamnan sending him backwards as he got back to his feet and dusted himself off.

"An Elemental? This is always getting better and better," Yami said to herself as she ran forward at the beast, Roxas and Valdamar following.

Ba'Gamnan went after them to stop them, but Axel and Neku stepped in front of him, both with fire in their hands. "I'd stop if I were you," Neku warned.

Namine and Samen approached King Mickey and Auron. "Are you alright?" Namine asked.

"I'm fine Namine, thank you" King Mickey said as Namine helped him up.

Auron stood up on his own, Samen putting a hand on his shoulder. "I see you are still intact."

"Hm," Auron simply said bringing up his sword again. "I was actually about to leave when this all happened. I guess you made my stay long enough for me to be here for this?"

Samen turned to look the Elemental as it was now being attacked from practically every angle. "The magic of this universe is a strange one that not even I fully comprehend. Perhaps that is the way it is meant to be."

Leon jumped forward with Cid as both struck their weapons at the heartless at the eyes of the beast. It cried out as it backed against the crumbling wall. The weakened structure finally gave into the weight of the beast, crumbling as the beast fell through the wall. It used its claws to grab onto the ledge to keep a hold of itself and nearly brought itself back up, but a shot from Balthier's gun and arrow from Fran's bow had a different idea. The heartless howled in more pain as it lost its grip and fell from the cliff. Roxas approached that edge, but didn't go any further. "He's done for," Roxas said walking back over.

Ba'Gamnan lied on the ground, weapon at his side as Axel and Neku stood over him as the bounty hunter layed unconscious. Leon walked over and sighed. "Well, hopefully we have too much more trouble with him."

"If you don't mind, we'll take care of him," Balthier said. "After all, he belongs on our world and as quite a price on his head."

"Perhaps you could assist me in giving me a life," Auron said. "There's…someplace I should be."

Balthier nodded. "I supposed it's in thanks for what you did for us earlier." He turned to the others. "You tell that Sora that he keep his chin up. The leading man needs to when to stay in character."

Before Roxas was going to say something, everyone froze as they felt another wave go through the air. "What the?" Cid said looking around.

"That's not good," Axel said as he looked towards where he had felt the wave come from as he could see an odd forest by the setting sun, a neon colored wave of energy headed their way. "That's defiantly not good!"

Before they could move, the wave flowed through the entire city blinding it with light for a second. Once it disappeared, Leon opened his eyes and looked in shock. They were gone! The only ones still there were Baltheir, Fran, Ba'Gamnan, Auron, and Samen. "Where'd they all go?"

Samen had been on the ground and slowly got back up to his feet, metal clanking underneath his garbs. "This reality has been warped again. It has taken them with it to whatever may have changed." He turned to look at Leon. "Is there anything that may have caused a different dimension to this one? One that could have associated them?"

Leon thought to himself. He looked up at Samen. "Aerith."

*****

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all ran through the forest as it became darker and darker until they could see something that resembled a pond in front of them, a green reflection coming from it. They could see the outline of a man by the water and a woman standing above the water, a glowing orb in her hands. "Is that-" Goofy started, but never finished.

Above from the trees fell a dark figure, a silver sword and silver hair his only noticeable features as he descended straight down. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The figure fell slower as the silhouette of the man began to ready an enormous sword and jumped forward. But he was too late. The darkening figure had made its as the sword pierced the woman, sending the glowing orb into the water. As soon as the sword pierced her, a wave of energy went through the air. As the orb sank slowly into the water and hit the bottom, another wave of energy went through the air.

"No…" Kairi trailed off, the others unable to move in shock.

The dark figure pulled out his weapon, two holes left in the woman from the weapon. The man with the large sword had reached the spot where the dark figure stood, but fell to his knees and dropped his sword at the sight of the woman. Everything came back to normal speed as Sora heard a laugh that made him cringe. The dark figure walked off, leaving them.

The man slowly and gently tried to wake the woman, but it made no use. He leaned his head forward in defeat as sadness slowly began to control him. Sora thought he saw a tear from his eye. The man slowly picked the woman, carrying her bridal style as he walked down into the pond, the water up to his knees. They could all see the reflection of the man's face from the water, his blonde spiky hair sending odd shadows upon the area. He slowly lowered the woman into the water until she was completely covered by the water.

A third strong wave of energy blasted through the air knocking the five off their feet. Before they could move again, a green energy wave overtook them, and they were all gone.

* * *

And so ends the third trip in Radiant Garden. If you didn't get what just happened, all will be explained soon.

_Dezblade_


	58. 57: Edge

Chapter 57: Edge

Neku groaned as he sat up. He had a massive headache from whatever the blast had been. He found himself in some kind of storage room by the looks of it, the only light source coming in from a window. He looked around to see the others he was with also laying on the floor, slowly waking up and looking around in confusion. "What in the world?" Yami said.

King Mickey looked around. "How did we get here?"

Valdamar looked at Axel as he got up one knee looking around. "I'm guessing this has to the waves," to which Axel just nodded in response.

Namine apparently had been awake for a little while for she sitting in a chair, holding her head. "You alright?" Neku asked.

Namine was silent for a moment. "Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

Namine moved the hair in front of her face to the side as she sighed. "I'm fine, but the memories of this place are…not right. Everything is out of order."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked.

Suddenly the door opened as they saw Cid and Yuffie walk in as Cid was talking. "I don't even understand why you need my tools. What does a youngster like you need-" Cid stopped mid sentence as we saw everyone in the room. "What are you all doing in here?" Cid said grabbing a wooden staff next to the door.

Roxas held his hands up in defense. "Hey! Hey! Cid, it's us. Calm down."

"Us who?" Yuffie said. "You followed me here, didn't you? I thought someone was following me! This is my material so hands off!" she said retaining a fighting pose.

Namine held her head harder. "This is what I meant."

"You mean they don't remember us at all?" Valdamar said.

"Cid, it's me," Mickey said walking forward.

The two were surprised to see the King. "You majesty!" Yuffie said.

"Well, ain't that a surprise," Cid said as he lowered his staff. "I suppose you and that Sora found each other."

"Wait, you know Sora but you don't know us?" Yami said.

"The energy wave, it really shifted reality. So much some of our memories have even been altered," Axel said. "This is worse than last time."(1)

"Energy wave?" Yuffie said, confused.

Namine stood up. "May I try something. I may be able to clear this confusion," she said approaching them.

"I don't know about this," Cid said, still holding the staff, tapping the ground with it.

"Cid…for some reason she seems similar to me. Maybe they are telling the truth," Yuffie said.

Namine came forward and put a hand on Yuffie's shoulder and her other on Cid's. She closed as a blue energy went around her arms. The two closed their eyes for a moment as the energy disappeared. Cid leaned against the wall, holding his head and moaning slightly. "Ow my head."

"What did you do?" Yami asked.

Yuffie stumbled for a second. "You're…Axel?" she said.

"Yes. Well looks whatever you did Namine, it worked."

Cid shook his head. "There was, a heartless we were all hit by some kind of wave, right?"

"Yep, it worked alright." King Mickey said.

"So why didn't you remember us before?" Neku asked.

"It seems they only remembered events after Sora went to fight Xehanort's heartless, and there were several other memories that have to do with their planet."

"But we are here," Cid said. "This is my hanger."

The group stepped out of the crowded room as they stepped into an enormous hanger, an airship like no other there. Valdamar gave a low whistle. "Looks like you quite the ship there."

"So wait, the wave changed the timeline of their memories and put us on a different world?" Yami said.

"Appears so," Roxas said looking at the huge ship.

"So wait…if we're here, what happened to others?" Neku asked.

"Hopefully they're here around here somewhere," Axel said. "Is there any place they might be at?"

Cid scratched his chin. "Well, there's Edge which a large distance from here, as well as Cosmo Canyon. It will still take a little while to travel. We'd better get Shera started then, we've got a long journey."

*****

Riku groaned as he got up, swinging his feet over the bed. "You alright Riku?" Goofy asked, he and Donald looking at him.

Riku rubbed his head. "Yeah, but…what we just saw…"

No one spoke. Riku looked around and saw they were in some kind of bedroom, very little decorations on the walls. "Wait, where's Sora?"

Kairi sighed. "We don't know."

Suddenly, a telephone rang. Riku turned to see it was on a desk, a few pictures and advertisements littered around it. It rang two more times before heard footsteps coming towards the room as Tifa walked in. She immediately picked up the phone. "Strife Delivery Service. You name it, we deliv- -"

She seemed to be cut off halfway through. "May I ask who's calling?"

She smiled a little for a moment and gave a small laugh while picking up a photo where Riku could see Cloud with his motorcycle, Tifa, and two kids he'd never seen before. Were they a family? "Yeah, I remember you."

She continued to talk to whoever was on the phone as she left the room. "What's going on?" Riku asked.

"Now that's a good question," Donald said.

"It seems Tifa only remembers us from more than a year back," Kairi explained. " Whatever happened in that forest changed something. We're not in Radiant Garden anymore. Some town called Edge apparently outside the ruins of Midgar." (2)

Riku heard noises as a girl walked in, slowly followed by a boy who held his hand against his forehead as he recognized them from the picture Tifa had picked up. She was surprised to see them. "Oh, it looks like you're all awake now. Are you all okay?"

"Yeah, just a little confused," Riku said shaking his head trying understand the situation.

"Sorry, but I don't think we've introduced ourselves," Goofy said. "We're Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy," he said pointing to each person.

"I'm Marlene. This is Denzel," she said as she grabbed a bandage from a cabinet and began to take one off his head to put the new one on.

Riku could see the old one fall on the ground, a dark blotch across the fabric. He recognized it from their last visit to Radiant Garden. "That's Geostigma," he whispered.

"Well, it's getting better," Denzel said half heartedly, but Riku could see though it.

Tifa walked back in as she hung up the phone. "You alright Denzel?" she asked.

"Yeah Tifa, I'm fine," he said as he walked out of the room, Marlene following him.

Tifa sighed and sat down in the chair next to the desk. "So, no that you're all awake, can you tell me what's happened."

"Based on what I heard, you still think I'm possessed by the darkness," Riku said.

"Something does seem odd, but I can't seem to place what it is," Tifa said. "But before we can talk more, I've got to make another call," she said picking up the phone and dialing. "Although he's probably not going to answer it."

She dialed and waited for a few moments, sighing a little bit. "Cloud, its Tifa. You got a call from Reno. He's in Healen. Says he's got work for you. Cloud…how have you been?"

She hung up and sighed. "Cloud never answers his phone?" Kairi asked.

Tifa shook her head. "And he's hardly even here half the time anymore. Denzel always looks up to him and…well I'm worried about him myself."

Donald paced a little bit. "But didn't we just see him that forest?"

"Forest?" Tifa said, confused.

"Perhaps we should tell you what we saw," Riku said as he got comfortable on the bed.

*****

"You have no more messa- -" the automated phone voice began to say before Cloud hung up.

"That was Tifa, wasn't it? Why don't you call back?" Sora asked as he stood next to Cloud's motorcycle.

Cloud just shook his head. "Let's just go. I'll drop you off at Tifa's place. How did you get here anyway?"

Sora shrugged before getting on the motorcycle behind Cloud. "I really don't know. I already told you what happened and somehow I ended up in these plains."

Cloud shook his head as he started up the bike. "That would be impossible. That happened nearly two years-"

Cloud suddenly stopped as he touched his arm under his sleeve for a second. "You okay?" Sora asked.

"It's nothing," Cloud said as he put his goggles on. "Hang on," he said as the motorcycle started off and began to roar across the plains.

Up above upon a cliff, the Buster Sword stuck in the ground, some flowers around it. Three dark motorcycles came towards it, crushing the flowers, one rider kicking the sword out of his way, causing it to fall to the ground. All looked at the ruined city of Midgar beyond the clif, the small but growing town called Edge next to it. The one on the left was the first to talk. "Hey Kadaj? Is that where Big Brother lives?"

The one in the center, Kadaj, grinned. "Yeah."

"Do you think he'll be glad to see us?" the first one said in dreamy kind of state.

"Not a chance."

"Don't cry, Yazoo," said the last one in a teasing voice.

"But Mother's with him?" said Yazoo.

"Maybe not," said Kadaj, as this caused the last one to become very upset.

"Don't cry, Loz."

Suddenly, Kadaj spotted something in the depressing planes. "Hold on, he's coming."

A motorcycle similar to their own speeding through the plains leaving dust fly behind it, two figures on it, both with spiky hair. "It seems they managed to still get through said a figure behind the motorcycles.

Kadaj looked back to see Banirith standing in front of a portal, his hood up. "Don't let Sora or his companions get a chance to get you. Remember, if we help each other, we each get what we want," The leader of the Seekers said before vanishing into the portal.

Loz and Yazoo sneered as they both roared their motorcycles to life as they drove off the hill after Cloud as Kadaj calmly pulled out a phone. "Time to get some information," he said as began to dial.

As Cloud zoomed forward, Sora heard other noises as he looked over his shoulders seeing to others on motorcycles approaching them. "Cloud!"

"I know."

Suddenly, a dark mist appeared in several streaks upon the ground as beast like heartless emerged from the ground, running as fast as the motorcycle. Without warning, Cloud flicked a switch, causing the sides of the motorcycle to open up to reveal several swords. He drew on and began to slash through the upcoming monsters, Sora summoning the keyblade and slashing through one as well. Sora heard gunshots as the two other figures on motorcycles approached closer, both having silver hair but appearing very different. One came up on the right, very muscular built with an odd weapon with spikes on in over his fist. "Where's mother?" Loz yelled as he attempted to attack Cloud, but he brought up his sword to block the attack and send him back.

This however caused the bike to swerve as Sora nearly fell off and nearly meeting the jaws of one of the beasts. However he saw the other figure coming closer, a gun with a blade on the barrel raising it to fire. Sora quickly swung the keyblade up to deflect the bullets as the other one came close to Cloud. "We know you hid her, brother." Yazoo said.

Cloud quickly slashed through another beast and was about to swing at the one with the gun, but stopped as he grimaced and looked at his arm again for a moment. Meanwhile back on the hilltop, Kadaj was in conversation on the phone. "Don't tell me you're leading me on? 'Cause I think you do have Mother there. No need to shout." He suddenly changed from a warm tone to a much colder one. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Put the President on."

Meanwhile, Loz had nearly sent the tow off the bike as Sora swung at the attacker's bike. However, Cloud saw rocks approaching as Yazoo somehow managed to flip hi bike OVER them as he pointed his gun at Cloud's face, and shot the goggles on his face causing to fly off and break some of the skin on Cloud's forehead. The bike flipped back onto two wheels as the two pursuers fell back a little as several beast heartless began to surround them. "Cloud, what do we do?" Sora said looking around wildly.

All of the heartless than pounced into the air above them, but somehow, they all disappeared into dust. The two pursuers grinned at Cloud before turning back and retreating. "They just…left?" Sora said, tired from the fight.

Cloud began to skid the bike and came to a stop as he saw another figure on top of a hill far back, a grin on his face before leaving, and then Sora and Cloud were alone, Sora breathing heavily. "Does this always happen to you?" Sora asked.

Cloud didn't answer as he stared off, pondering. "Change of plans Sora. We're going to Healen."

* * *

(1) LET'S DO THE TIME WARP DANCE! So yes, reality and time have been shifted by the events of Kadaj killing Aerith in Radiant Garden causing the events from FFVII to be true, screwing over the reality the Kingdom Hearts characters are aware of this. I didn't do this just to have it possible to take the Advent Children, as you will see later this plays an important role.

(2) Although never actually said in Advent Children, Edge is the town rebuilt just outside Midgar after the Meteor at the end of FFVII. It is mentioned in the script as well as interviews, so this world will be called Edge, not Midgar.

So as you can see, things got a little confusing, but I will be following the script of Advent Children carefully since I actually have a copy of the script, but still making it part of The Crossroad. I hope you guys enjoy it.

NOTE: As cool as it would be, I won't be doing Advent Children Complete even though it had lots more added detail and the amazing Rude shooting a rocket launcher from a helicopter because I have not seen the full version and therefore don't know all the changed. It would be awesome to do so, but I just have not seen it. Sorry. :(

Marlene- Barret's daughter who was left to be looked after by Tifa and Cloud since he went with a group to try and find a renewable energy source to keep things moving again. She is usually curious but positive, but misses Cloud. She first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII_ in 1997.

Denzel- Denzel is a boy who became an orphan after Sector 7 of Midgar had been destroyed. After the events of Meteor, he soon became ill with Geostigma. He was found outside Aerith's church by Cloud one day and he's been adopted by him and Tifa since. He has always fought the Geostigma, never giving up hope for a cure. He first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children_ in 2005.

Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo – A group of three young men who are leftovers of genetic data from the GENOVA expirements from Dr. Hojo back, Kadaj being a Soulz, Loz and heartless, and Yazoo and Nobody. They are the leftovers of Spehirpoth that Hojo was trying to use to bring back. However they had escaped and know are assisting the seekers in finding a part of the Royal Scroll in return for…something else. They first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children_ in 2005.

More to come soon…

_Dezblade_


	59. 58: Remnants

Chapter 58: Remnants

Sora hung on as the bike sped forward as it swerving up the hill. Above the noise, he could hear a beeping noise as he guessed as it came from Cloud's phone as he heard a voice right afterwards.

"What up, foo', it's Barret! I am the man! Oil, Cloud! I just found the biggest damned oil field you ever seen! Surveyin's done, so I should be able to get out there an' see Marlene soon. You let her know, a'ight Spiky?"

A few minutes later, another call came through. "Reno called again. He said to hurry, and he sounded kind of strange…Be careful, okay?" Sora recognized as Tifa's voice.

A few moments later, the motorcycle came to a stop in front of a peaceful looking facility. It kind reminded Sora of some of the medical buildings back on his islands, but much more fancy. He followed Cloud up some stairs leading up, a sword of Cloud's that apparently was the base for the rest of his blades, as they reached the door. "Don't say anything. I don't want you getting caught up in anything that may be up," he said.

Cloud opened the door as a figure stood slightly in the shadows. Cloud quickly brought his sword up in a defensive stance as the other readied a weapon as well. The figure relaxed for a second, before charging forward screaming, pretty silly to Sora. Cloud pushed Sora to the side as the man with red hair ran past, his pontytial moving back and forth before he realized he ran past the two and went to run back in before Cloud closed the door on him. "Okay, so you're good," the man Sora could only assume was Reno.

Cloud in response just locked the door. He stepped further into the circular room as more footsteps came from a hallway. A dark man with sunglasses stepped through, tightening his gloves. He turned and looked at Cloud. The two stayed still looking at one another. "Yeah Rude, looking sharp!" said the red haired man outside. How Sora could see through the door was a wonder to Sora. T

He man began to move, only stopping as Cloud moved his sword upon reflex as it flexed open, pointing the sword at Rude's neck. The man breathed only to take a step back as a voice came from the hall. "Good. You fight like the SOLDIER you once claimed to be." A man robed in white came out in a electronic wheelchair, the only part of skin revealed being the man's right hand which Sora recognized had Geostigma. The wheelchair came next to Rude and moved so it faced Cloud, Rude standing like a bodyguard behind him. "You haven't lost your touch."

Cloud looked at the man in the wheelchair in surprise. "Rufus Shinra? Do I feel sorry for you," Cloud remarked to Rude with the last part.

Rude didn't react too much to Cloud's statement. "The day of the explosion-" the man started.

"What do you want from me?" Cloud said cutting to the chase.

"I managed to get out of the building-"

"Who were the guys that attacked me?"  
"-before it collapsed-"

"I'm leaving," Cloud motioned towards, Sora going forward to take a step, but stopped when Cloud didn't move any further.

Rufus Shinra sighed. "We need your assistance, Cloud."

"Not interes-"

"I acknowledge that Shinra owes the planet a lot. It goes without saying that my company and I are the ones who put the world in the sorry state it's in. Therefore, it's our responsibility to set things right."

"I'm still out here," Reno said from outside the room, which was ignored.

"As a first step, we have commenced an investigation in Sephiroth's wake," Rufus said, causing Sora to perk up at the mention of Spehiroth.

"Yup, at the Northern Cave!" Reno said from outside.

"What do you think we found?" Rufus said followed by a brief silence. "Nothing. Nothing at all. You can relax. However, not all went as planned. We were interrupted…by the same three who attacked you. Kadaj and his gang."

"Kadaj?"

"It seems they don't want us finishing what we started. Really…what could they be thinking?" Rufus begin to question himself.

"What does that have to with me?"

"You're our buddy, aren't you?" Reno said, to which Cloud kicked the door.

"Kadaj's group is young and violent. As dangerous as they come. That's why we decided it might be in our best interests to hire some muscle."

"Too bad. I'm a delivery boy now."

"You're all we have. Cloud, look; you're an ex-SOLDIER. Aren't you?"

Cloud went for the door, unlocking it. "Hmph. In my head." He began to crack the door partially open to where Sora could see Reno looking at them. "What's all this stuff about 'Mother'?"

"Why, did Kadaj say something to you? No surprise. There are plenty of kids that miss their mothers. That's the world we live in. I hear there are orphans living with you, and you seem to have brought a shy friend with you. Think about it…Don't you want to put smiles back on their faces? All we want in the end…is to rebuild our world, Cloud." Rufus said raising his hand.

Cloud turned to look at Rufus. Sora could tell Cloud was conflicting his decision in his head on what he should do. Sora was really missing out on something. "But I…"

"C'mon, Cloud," Reno said, a smile on his face. "Think about it. Together we can rebuild Shinra!"

Cloud immediately donned a sour face as he marched out, Sora quickly going behind him. "Not interested."

"Reno," Rude and Rufus both said in disappointment as Cloud quickly walked back down, Sora jogging to catch up.

"Cloud! You've known these guys from before, sometime right?"

Cloud was quiet. "Sora, there are many things you don't know about me. I'd like to keep a majority of those things that way. But I can explain some things so they make more sense," Cloud said as he got back on the motorcycle.

Tifa opened the doors to the church as Kairi and Marlene walked in, Marlene running forward. "So this used to be a church that Aerith constantly came too?" Kairi said quietly.

"Yeah. Cloud has always had something for this church as well."

Marlene ran forward as she found a small cot, a closed box next to it. "What's this?" Marlene asked as she touched the box.

Tifa just shook her head as she looked on the cot to see bandages laying on the bed. Kairi picked it up. "These look like what Denzel has. Does Cloud have Geostigma has well?"

"Why didn't he say anything…" Tifa trailed off, talking to herself.

"Did he leave because he's sick?" Marlene asked.

"He just…wants to fight alone."

"Fight?"

"No…I don't think that he will," Tifa said once again, as if speaking her thoughts out loud.

"Tifa?" Kairi asked. "Is everything alright?"

Tifa just smiled a little. "It should be. Let's go home Marlene."

Marlene ran back over the cot and stood firm. "We can't! Cloud's not here yet!"

Tifa picked up the bandage and walked over to her. "I know, sweetie. I miss him, too."

"Yeah," Marlene said.

"So. Say he does come back?"

"We'll all go home!" Marlene said happily.

"Not until he…gets a lecture," Tifa said with little smile.

"Uh-huh!" Marlene said raising her hand in a high five, to which Kairi giggled a little bit.

Riku, Donald, Goofy, and Denzel were walking around Edge, trying to find Sora. "You think it's possible that he might not even be here?" Goofy said as Denzel led them through the ally.

"It's hard to say. Whatever kind of magic that was, it might have affected the others too!" Donald said.

Riku kept his comments to himself. Could the others also be here? If so, was Sora with them? Why did Sora end up in a different place then them? It didn't make any sense. "So Denzel, how do you know this place so well?" Riku asked.

"I've wandered these streets for so long. After all, I've kind of always lived out here for the most part on my own. For a while I lived with a nice woman but…when Sector 7 fell down… she was one of the many who was killed."

Riku was shocked to hear this kid at such a young kid talking about this. "I'm sorry."

Denzel was quiet for a little bit as they walked further, Donald and Goofy talking about the wave that had hit them and trying to figure out what it had done exactly. "I guess it was kind of chance running into Cloud. It was in front of that church too."

"Church?" Riku asked.

"It's this church that used to be in the slums. Cloud just tends to be there a lot."

Riku thought as he looked around as they came out into the streets again. No sign of Sora or anyone else. Tifa, No heartless, no Seekers, nothing. Everything was normal besides the fact that the city was trying to rebuild itself after a ruined city with many suffering from Geostigma. Compared to everywhere else he had been, this was probably one of the most depressing place he had ever been in.

Reno and Rude lay on the floor, groaning in pain as Kadaj walked forward, a man in a silver cloak next to him. "Boy, do I hate liars," Kadaj said as he approached Rufus in his wheelchair.

"I apologize," said Rufus. "This time you'll get the truth. The object you seek fell from the helicopter while we were running from you. I'm afraid we were careless."

"Is that right?" said the man in silver. "Did you happen to lose that scroll as well?"

"I swear it. Both items were lost."

"Fine. Then swear on these."

Kadaj flipped two ID cards on the ground in front of Shinra, bloodstained with the names Tseng and Elena on them. "Why did you do this?" Rufus said.

"We need Mother's power. The Reunion is coming…and we NEED her," Kadaj said.

"Reunion…" Rufus said, thinking.

"My brothers and sisters who share Mother's cells will all assemble. And together we'll take revenge on the planet. We've already sent out the invitations, but, you know. Someone's gone and hidden the guest of honor."

"Invitations…?"

"Hmph, stop the act. It's well obvious you know what he's speaking of," said the cloaked man again pacing slightly.

"The stigma," Kadaj said. "But you know all about that, sir. Mother's mimetic legacy lives on in the Lifestream and makes it happen. She does so much for us. And we…we don't even know where to find her. But what can we do? We're just Remnants—merely remnants of Mother's legacy. Until we find Mother and receive her cells, we can't be whole again. Geostigma and a legacy aren't enough. Not for a true Reunion."

"What do you mean?" Rufus said, to which the man in the cloak sighed to.

"But sir…Surely you've noticed," Kadaj said stepping even closer to Rufus till he was up next to him.

Suddenly, he bowed before him, like a knigh swearing fealty. He looked up, power building up behind his eyes as he touched Rufus with his right hand. A wave of energy went up the president's arm as he felt a wave of the energy as well.

Cloud stabbed the Buster Sword that once was Zack's back into the ground as his grave marker. He looked over the hill at the ruined Midgar, Sora standing from behind. He knew all about Cloud's story know, surprising Sora with how much he had gone through. But was it the Cloud he knew. He said that Aerith had died two years ago, killed by Sephiroth. Had the wave back in Radiant Garden changed things?

"I said I'd live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise," Cloud said to himself as Sora recognized he was talking about Zack.

Suddenly, Cloud fell on one knee, clutching his left arm, moving back and forth. Sora ran over to him. "Cloud! Cloud! Are you alright? What's going on?"

Sora put his hands on Cloud's shoulders as Cloud began to steady himself. He pushed Sora off of him and stood up. "I'm fine. Let's go."

"Now wait a minute, you nearly just keeled over there! Wouldn't it be too dangerous for you to drive?"

Cloud shook his head. "No. Come one let's go."

Marlene was humming as she looked through the flowers in the church, amazed by the hidden beauty within the ruins of Midgar. Her attention was taken as she heard the door to the entrance of the church opening. She looked up as Kairi and Tifa turned as well. It was a large figure, stepping in with boots clanking on the wood. Marlene ran forward, thinking Cloud had arrived. She stopped when she saw a second figure approach as well, and neither of them was Cloud.

Tifa came up and held Marlene back as Kairi walked up to Tifa, slightly behind her. She immediately recognized the follower, for he wore an all too familiar purple cloak. "Trouble," she whispered to Tifa.

The man in front wearing all black with slicked back silver hair stepped forward with an arm at Marlene. "Wana play?" No response. "I guess that's a no," the heartless remnant said approaching closer as he looked around. "Where's Mother?"

"I don't believe they know what you're speaking of, Loz," said Xidmun as he quickly took off his hood, his hair looking more wild than normal.

Loz stopped for a minute, smelling the air, grimacing slightly as he looked at the flowers. "Gross." He looked at Tifa again. "Hey, where's Mother?"

"There's no one here!" Kairi said stepping out to the side.

Xidmun raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he said with some sarcasm.

Tifa pulled Marlene away as she ran to hide behind a pillar. Tifa pulled out two black gloves as she pulled them on as Kairi summoned Destiny Place. They both took fighting stances. Loz just steadied himself. "This'll be fun."

Suddenly the two dashed forward, to the surprise of the two men. Tifa came in with a punch that Loz quickly blocked, followed by a flurry of punches than he quickly dodged getting nicked by a few, stepping back. Tifa suddenly halted and brought a roundhouse kick to Loz's face. He cried out and brought forward his weapon on his arm so it hit Tifa with energy sending her back. Tifa caught herself and stayed on her feet, slightly rubbing her jaw as Loz laughed a little, his device snapping back into place. An electric current went off from Tifa's glove before she clenched her fists , dashing forward at her foe with a low sweeping kick.

Kairi ran with a forward thrust of the keyblade to have it blocked by Xidmun's blades coming out from his sleeves. He swung around his arms so Kairi stumbled back as he jumped onto the end of a pew, his weight causing it to flip up. He jumped up in the air and kicked it at Kairi who jumped out of the way just in time. However he was on her in an instant , one of the blades cutting part of her hair and drawing blood near her ear. She quickly twirled around Destiny Place at Xidmin, the damage not doing much as she pushed him back into the circle of flowers.

Tifa had just dodged another attack from Loz's Pilebunker (1) as it broke the brick wall behind her. She knocked his arm away and dashed straight into him, bringing him to the ground and then kicking off of him as groaned in pain. She soared for a moment in the air before Loz had managed to grab onto her ankle. She cried out in surprised as Loz spun her around, her body being rammed into the wooden pews before he threw her at the far wall. Tifa however had managed to hold her sense of direction somehow and landed against the wall with her feet and one hand. The blast of her going through the air causing the loose petals of flowers to shower up in the air right where Kairi and Xidmun were fighting.

The petals took Xidmun by surprise, and Kairi took the chance. She ran forward, slicing at him sending him onto his back. When Kairi went for a downward slash, he grabbed the middle of the keyblade grunting as he used the keyblade to throw Kairi up into the remaining rafters of the church. She quickly pulled herself just as Xidmun had jumped off the one of the walls and pillars of the church and came at her again. She blocked his attack, both of them trying to keep their balance of the weakened rafters. She pushed him back along the central rafter. At one point, she jumped back avoiding a slash at her stomach as she lost her balance. What was left of her footing she used to jump away to a rafter on the right, the Seeker following her leap.

Tifa pushed off the wall with equal energy and rushed at him as he raised his arm. He just missed her as she grabbed onto his face and plowed him through the wood floor back to near the entrance of the church where Loz flipped up into the air. As Loz flipped up into the air, he ran into Xidmun, causing both of them to lose their concentration as Tifa jumped next to them, grab them, and throw them with a great force at the ground where the two disappeared in a heap of rubble. Both Kairi and Tifa landed to the ground, looking at the rubble. "Thanks," Kairi said.

"No problem."

"Tifa!" Marlene said running forward, happy Tifa had not been hurt badly.

Kairi smiled, but then heard some kind of noise. (Neku's Playlist: Final Fantasy Victory Fanfare). She looked around, not knowing where the sound was from just as the rubble flew up and the two emerged fine. Shaken, but fine. The noise continued until Loz pulled out a cell phone and answered it. "She's…not here. I am not crying!" he said the second part, his voice weaker. He then turned to look at the three. "No, I got it. We'll bring the girls," he said before hanging up and walking up to them, Xidmun next to him looking peeved.

"Now, where were we?" The soulz said, the creepy smile returning to his face.

Tifa took a defensive stance quickly as Loz zoomed faster than anything Kairi had seen before as he weapon hit Tifa in the abdomen as Kairi felt something smack her from behind. The two flew forward as Xidmun reappeared and caught them, only to hurl them both crashing through a pillar. Kairi had fought before, but having never being thrown like that had knocked her unconscious. The two lay in the flower bed, Tifa barley moving as Loz came forward, to deal another blow. Before he could do so, he felt something lightly hit his head from the side. He turned to see Marlene standing, scared of what she had just done standing next to box, now open to reveal many different colored orbs, glowing. Materia. "Well, well, well. Look we have here," Xidmun said swiftly walking forward, towering over the little girl.

"Cloud…" Marlene said as she nervously tightened her grip on the bandage she had found as the shadows of the two men stood over her.

Denzel held his hand against his head. He stared off as something was bothering him. Something was wrong. He was with Donald after Riku and Goofy went to search the other side of the plaza, but Donald was peering into a corridor. A girl with a toy stuffed Moogle came up to him. "You've got the stigma, too?" the girl asked. Denzel said nothing, slightly dazed by the sudden sense bothering him. The girl grabbed his hand and started to lead him out of the ally. "Come on, they're gonna fix us."

Denzel saw several other kids in a truck bed, most of them looking like they were near the end or just so sick they couldn't move a lot. They all had the stigma. They were like him. He thought about it for a moment, but he climbed in with the others. Yazoo gave a grin before getting in the drivers seat and began to drive off. Donald came back out of the alleyway. "Well he's not there eith-Denzel? Denzel? Where are you?"

Cloud and Sora walked into the church, Sora looking at Cloud confused. Sure, Cloud had always been someone who tended to stay to himself and was mysterious, but there was something more to him. Something was different. It wasn't the Cloud he knew so well. Suddenly, Cloud's eyes widened as he ran forward, Sora's attention on Cloud snapping away to look at the area.

There were two figures on the ground, not moving. He gasped and ran forward right behind Cloud as Cloud picked up Tifa. "Tifa? Tifa!"

Sora rushed over to Kairi, shaking her shoulders. "Kairi? Can you hear me?"

Tifa slowly came to in Cloud's arms. "You're late…" she said quietly.

"Who did this?"

"Two men…" Tifa started, but suddenly leaned forward. "Marlene?" she exclaimed, before falling back unconscious.

Sora continued to try to revive Kairi as Cloud looked around at the damage to the church, and also noticed that the box of materia was gone. "Damn!" he said.

Suddenly, he grimaced as all his muscles became tense as he shook. Sora noticed this and looked at Cloud. The same thing that was happening at the cliffside was happening again. This time, Sora noticed a black ooze dripping from Cloud's sleeved arm, and his eye seemed to change. Eerily, they reminded Sora of Sephiroth. Cloud began to stop shacking and slowly fell to the ground. Sora ran over to wake him up, but he was out as well. Sora just didn't know what to do. Three of his friends were unconscious, and he had absolutely no clue what was going on. "I see we've got a bit of a problem."

Sora turned to see four figures in the doorway of the church.

Cloud slowly woke up to see he was in his room at Seventh Heaven. He slowly got up and saw Tifa on the other bed, calmly asleep. "You know your're pretty heavy."

Cloud to see the speaker, Reno, Rude on the other side of the door. There were two others with them. Both teenagers, one with long orange hair, the other wearing a hat over brown hair. "Weren't there some kids living with you?"

"Cause they're ain't here," Reno said.

Cloud was silent as he looked at Tifa. "You don't care?" Rude asked.

"I just…" Cloud sighed.

The girl with orange hair shook her head and walked out. "You're a real handful," she said, Reno and Rude going with her to find the others. The one in the hat stayed behind for a second. "Sora and Kairi are in the other room. I'm going to check on them. Name's Valdamar if you need me," he said before walking out of the room and going down the hall into another room.

He slowly opened the door a crack to peak in. Sora was sitting in a chair next to the bed to Kairi, still unconscious, a small bandage on the side of her head where she had been bleeding slightly. Vald knocked on the door. "Sora? May I come in?"

Sora jumped at hearing the knock but calmed down. "Yeah. It's alright."

Valdamar slowly walked in closing the door behind him and sat down in another chair at the end of the bed, taking his fedora off and setting it on the end of the bed, rustling his fingers through his hair. "Well, Cloud's awake, so hopefully Tifa and Kairi will soon as well."

Sora smiled weakly. "That's good. Say…how did you and Yami find us out there?"

Vald sighed. "Like I quick explained to you before, the rest of us ended up at a airship hanger far from here. According to Namine after looking at memories of Cid and Yuffie, we're like in some different kind of dimension or alternate world. We think this might have been caused by that wave of energy back in Radiant Garden. Axel said reality had changed last time he had seen one, but he didn't say what. Other than the landscape being completely different, someone isn't here anymore."

"Aerith," Sora said.

Vald was surprised. "How did you know?"

"We saw…Aerith get…stabbed before the wave of energy went out," Sora said.

Valdamar looked at Sora wide eyed, and then put a hand over his head, trying to think. "So whoever stabbed her is the cause of the shift in reality. All we have to find that person and hopefully correct the shift, in theory at least. Do you know who it was?"

Sora shook his head. "No…but he reminded me of Sephiroth. But he's gone, so it couldn't have been him."

Valdamar thought back to when he had been with Kairi and the scientist running into the crazy scientist.

_Hojo turned back to the three tubes. "You see, here lies the Heartless, Nobody, and Soulz of the same being. Now, this being was destroyed not even two days before, and left behind only shattered remains of his darkness, body, and soul. However, using modern technology and my great scientific mind, I have been able to recreate them and make them far more superior then they normally would be. Together, combined together, they would bring the greatest being to return to life! Henceforth, we could make eternity for everyone! There's only one thing missing, however, to make them complete."_

"_Light," Valdamar said._

_Hojo held a finger. "You are smart boy, but not necessarily. You see, the other two pathetic fools believe that using different sources of darknesses and souls can create more powerful beings and ones that cannot return to normal. But the true strength is in the same one. Now, if light was given to such a being that existed without only that, they would return to whatever they had once come from, Kingdom Hearts where all hearts come from. But instead on light, all you need is a simple piece of DNA to bring back one from death's hand."_

"Maybe…it was," Valdamar said to himself.

"What?" Sora said.

Valdamar shook his head. "I'll explain once the others get back. It might be better to explain all at once."

Sora shrugged and turned to look back at Kairi. It was then Valdamar noticed Sora was holding onto Kairi's hand. He gave a little smile. "Hey Sora? You haven't been cutting off the blood circulation in her hand, have you now?"

Embarrassed, Sora withdrew his hand and flushed a little red. "Hey, she went through something rough! She's my friend."

Valdamar held his hands up. "It's alright Sora, don't freak out on me. Besides, I know how you feel."

"You do?"

Valdamar's smile ran off. He sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Yeah. In fact I can see a memory replaying right in front of me. I was in your place, only worse. They weren't sure if she would survive," Valdamar said quietly.

Sora was quiet. "What happened to her?"

Valdamar shrugged. "I don't know if it was for better or worse. She survived, but I never saw her again. I don't know it I would want hope she was alive or just know she had passed away peacefully."

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Sora said as saw Valdamar emotional for the first time.

"No, it's alright. I was the one who brought it up. I'm sure she's out there somewhere and I'm just a worrier."

Sora smiled. "Yeah, same here."

There was silence for a little bit. "So when are the others going to get here?"

"Well, me and Yami managed to convince Cid to take an old motorcycle after I fixed it. The others are coming with Cid and Yuffie, but they said they had to make a few stops before getting here, so it may be a little while, I'm not really sure."

Sora nodded as Valdamar got up. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?"

"Sure, just some water," Sora said as Valdmar grabbed his hat and was about to walk out before Sora stopped him. "Hey, Vald."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Valdamar gave a small smile and closed the door behind him as he left. However, through a crack he looked through again at Sora next to Kairi, but he was seeing himself, younger next to a girl with short blonde hair. He closed his eyes for a moment, and prevented the tear from emerging from his eye. _May…I haven't forgotten about you,_ he thought before heading down to get something to drink.

Kadaj looked at the box of materia while Loz held the young girl and the Purple Coated Seeker glanced at a blue materia in his fingers. "Look at what Brother was hiding," Kadaj said picking up a materia. "Power forged in the Lifestream. With this materia, those powers will be ours…" he grinned as the magic energy became absorbed into his arm as it began to give off a light.

* * *

(1) No clue where the name Pilebunker comes from, but that's what it's referred to in the script, so I'm going with it.

Reno and Rude- These two men who once worked for Shinra as part of the Turks now work directly for Rufus Shinra. While Reno may be much more relaxed and outgoing, Rude is strict and sticks to business. It's a wounder how the two work together or are even friends. The two first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII _in 1997.

Rufus Shinra- Once the president of the Shinra Electric Company after his father was murdered, he was believe to have been killed as well in an explosion of the Shinra building. He seems to barley survived, but hasn't changed much in his motives, or has he? He first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII _in 1997.

I'M NOT DEAD! Just on extreme hiatus. Even though I finished this school year, things are still busy. I just never can get a break, can I? Oh well, that's life.

A heads up, I will be working at a camp, so really the only time I may be able to update this is late Saturday nights, if I do. There may be an occasional update outside that time frame, but it will be rare. Also on a bit of a sad note, future worlds will be shortened than I had originally planned because I want to finish this fanfiction before life makes it impossible to continue this. I won't rush the story, but some smaller details will have to be left out unfortunately.

_Dezblade_


	60. 59: The Forgotten City

Chapter 59: The Forgotten City

Kairi slowly opened her eyes as she brought her left hand to her head. She could feel a small bandage over her forehead, but she didn't feel any blood. She slowly sat up in the bed and turned to look to see Sora looking outside the window, the sun set as the sky began to darken. Sora slowly turned around sighing, but froze for a second when he saw that Kairi was awake. "Kairi! You're up!"

Kairi gave a small smile as she moved her legs to the side of the bed so she could sit up better. "Yeah…I guess." Her eyes widened. "Marlene. And that Seeker."

"What happened?" Sora asked.

The door opened quickly as Riku walked in, Donald and Goofy next to him. "Well looks like you two are alright."

"Sora!" Goofy said running over and hugging him.

"Ah! Goofy! I'm alright," Sora said trying to get Goofy to let go of him, Kairi giggling a little bit.

Yami walked in the door, nearly tripping over Donald, Reno standing behind her. "Careful!" Donald said, nearly losing his balance.

Yami ignored him and leaned up against the wall. "Perfect timing. Maybe now we can figure out exactly what has been going on."

"When do you get here Yami?" Kairi asked.

"How about you tell us what happened when we found you first?" Reno said. "We've got time to spare."

"Don't run. Let's fight it together. We can help each other, I know we can," Tifa said to Cloud who sat at the edge of the bed. It was silent before Tifa shifted. "I guess that only works for real families."

"Tifa…" Cloud said quietly. "I'm not fit to help anyone. Not my family. Not my friends. Nobody."

Tifa sighed. "Dily-dally, shilly-shally." Cloud gave Tifa a quizzical look. She repeated it again, her voice more intense.

"I think she wants you to move on, man," Reno said from the doorway, Rude standing next to him.

Tifa and Cloud both stood up. "Did you find them?" Tifa asked.

Reno shook his head. "No. Only a witness. Kadaj's gang took the kids."

"Where are they?" Cloud asked.

"They're at their base. The Forgotten City," Rude said sternly.

Sora burst from the door behind them, Valdamar next to him. "Well, let's go after them Cloud!"

Cloud just stood there. "Go."

"Huh? What do you mean go?" Sora said confused.

"I have to talk to Rufus," Cloud said.

"Stop running!" Tifa said suddenly, everyone freezing at the sound of her voice. "I know…Even if you find the kids, you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never unhappen. That scares you, doesn't it? But you need to think about now. Really take it in. Look at you! You think you've got it so damn hard. Well you hate being alone, so let people in! Sure you might not answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing away either."

The entire time, Reno and Rude get more uncomfortable as Sora is confused with the way Cloud and Tifa are acting as Valdamar closed his eyes, his concentration elsewhere. "You go. The base is all yours," Reno said as he and Rude walked out.

"Which is it? A memory, or us?" Tifa asked.

Cloud stood there, silent as ever. Valdamar opened his eyes. "We never want to lose someone Cloud. I know what it feels like to lose one close to my heart." Cloud turned to look at Valdamar as he continued. "We always worry about the 'what ifs' and what the outcome could possibly be. However many years ago I learned that action has to be taken in order for things to get done. So unless you do something in a minute, Sora and I will head out ourselves."

Sora nodded. "Come on Cloud. I understand there's a bunch of stuff going on, but put your head together. We've got to stop them."

Cloud walked to a table in the room, a phone, letters, and a photograph sitting on it. He slowly picked up the photograph and looked at it. The swordsman set it down and turned to look at them. "We leave now."

"Don't think you're heading anywhere without us."

Yami and Riku entered the room. "Kairi still needs rest. Donald and Goofy are looking after her. Kairi said the Seekers are here, and that means that if you go alone you'll be outnumbered."

"Well, how are five of us supposed to get there?" Sora asked.

Valdamar began to walk out with a mock salute. "Ask and I shall answer the call."

Valdamar and Yami sat on his motorcycle as Riku sat somewhat cramped in a makeshift passenger car Valdamar attached to the bike as quick as he could, Cloud and Sora going on ahead on Cloud's motorcycle. "You'll sure this will stay on? It seems it's going to fall off any moment." Riku yelled over the engine.

Valdamar gave a small grin as they zoomed past the glowing trees. "It should do fine for the trip. As long as you don't plan on something directly attacking the vehicle."

The lights on the motorcycle flickered before they went out, Valdamar groaning. "Not again." He said, quick taking his hand off to bang on the controls.

He hit the panel a few more times before the light flickered back to life. It was then in the light they saw the figure standing in the middle of the path. "Vald!" Yami cried out.

Valdamar quickly swerved the handlebars, brining his hand down as hard as he could on the brake. Riku held on for dear life as he felt the bike swerve, nearly pitching him out as the bike began to skid and slow down. It was then Riku noticed that the figure in the path was wearing a white cloak. He balanced himself as he quickly jumped out of the passenger car, summoning Road to Dawn as he got out. "Don't move!" Riku said.

The White Cloaked Seeker moved his hand, summoning a white staff into his hands. "Now, now. You don't have to be so rude."

"And standing in the middle of a path where a motorcycle would drive isn't being rude?" Yami said, walking up, her keyblade not summoned yet as Valdamar slowly took out Banisher from a small latch he had put on the side.

The Seeker cracked his neck, his hood falling down to reveal his white hair, pale face, and reddish-pink eyes. "Well it seems none of you have matters of any sort. Perhaps I should teach you some."

Yami didn't hesitate as she shot a blast of darkness at the Seeker. However, Riku was startled that Io didn't even block the blow and let hit him. Yet he didn't even flinch, just the whit cloak flying off behind him. He stood there, in all black garb save for his boots, still white, as well as a white crescent moon upon his shirt. "That, was mistake," he said, raising his staff up.

Beams of moonlight than seem to dance upon Io as a glow went around him, the crescent moon upon his shirt glowing extremely bright. He suddenly thrust forward his staff, white boomerangs of energy flying at the three. They quickly hit the ground, the energy flying above them. Riku and Yami quick shot Dark Firagras at the Seeker. Io brought up a shield of light that deflected the darkness, sending it bouncing off in many directions. Riku ran forward and sliced in a mid swipe, before Io brought up his staff up, blocking the attack, and then quickly twirling the staff over so it knocked Riku back.

Yami cried jumping up in the air with a gust of air, twirling down. Io quickly swiped his arm in an arc above him, sending a series of light spears to fly in the air at her which knocked her back into the trees. However, he noticed something wrap around the end of his staff. He felt a tug as he was pulled forward by Valdamar's whip, where Valdamar readied his sword, only to be knocked upside the head by the staff as his sword only grazed the Seeker. Valdamar landed on his rear, and began to get back up only to feel something knock him across the chest, another blast of energy sending him back. He groaned as he got up. "So, Allen, how are you doing?" said a voice.

He looked up to see Xidmun standing above him, cracking his knuckles. "I tell you, I've been having a good day. First that little princess friend of yours, and now my good ol' buddy. I'm telling, I'm having a great time."

"My name is Valdamar!" he roared as he sprung up and swung Banisher at Xidmun. He however missed as the Seeker disappeared again only to appear behind him and shove him to the ground. Before Vald could get up, Riku jumped in and nearly stabbed Xidmun, only for Xidmun to fade to show the real Xidmun with his blades blocking the keyblade with his wrist blades. "Although I will say you are not putting half a bad fight. Perhaps you give more of a challenge."

"Last I heard, Kairi ending up having you slam into the floor of the church," Riku said pushing back and beginning to swipe at Xidmun.

Xidmun began to throw his arms very fast. One swing would be an attack that would barely miss Riku, the other in defense from Riku's swing. Riku soon became the one taking defensive swings, till one point he ended up sending him up into a tree limb, the glow from the tree giving some light. A swipe came from next to him as he quickly jumped out of the way to see Xidmun already waiting for him. The two danced back and forth as the two dueled blades, pushing each other back and forth across the limb. Riku could then see on a few trees over that Yami was going just about as good as him.

Yami swept herself up with another gust higher up into the tree where the limbs were weaker. Io sent more blasts of light up at her, most of the chopping off pieces of the tree as Yami fired back bolts of darkness. One hit Io in his face finally as he fell to the ground. As he fell, the light surrounding him began to concentrate at the end of his staff, forming an axe head. Soon his staff had become a large axe of light that he swung through the wood. The tree began to fall over, Yami quickly swinging herself around the trunk she was on top, and then leaping up before the tree crashed into the ground. Io stood up, walking towards her as Valdamar jumped from over the tree trunk, sword raised.

He cried out as he sliced across Io's upper torso with a sickening slice. He closed his eye for a moment, and when he opened them, Io was gone. He looked up to see Yami and Riku quickly tag team Xidmun, till he disappeared after both of them managed to slice through him. "What happened?" Riku said confused.

Valdamar held his sword at the ready, scanning the area. The light from the motorcycle and the faint glow from the trees were his only clue. "That was too easy to actually be them."

A small clapping could be heard from the trees. Valdamar quickly turned to face the direction, three shadows next to a group of trees. "He's finally catching on. Only took him like two years," came Xidmun's voice laughing.

"Enough."

Xidmun had stopped clapping and went quiet as Banirith walked out from the shadows. "You again," Yami said reading herself, Riku standing at the ready next to her.

Banirith stopped walking forward and raised his eyebrows as both Xidmun and Io stepped out from the shadows, unscathed. "You sound so disappointed. Perhaps I can convince you to be glad I am here."

"I think that's going to be difficult to convince us."

"Suit yourselves. Why is it you have your weapons trained upon me? Have I lifted anything against you? No. You are so used to violence that is all you know now. Fighting the heartless, before fighting the nobodies, and now fighting the soulz. It is all you know. Are you all so determined to fight for the rest of your lives. You cannot last forever."

"We might not," Riku said, "but light, darkness, nothing, and emotions as well will go on forever."

"So you are content to have this conflict last forever? You would let those in the future to continue to fight us? Must we last in everlasting conflict? Can you not see that I am trying to end this conflict?"

"Stop talking in questions!" Valdamar said charging.

Riku was slightly taken aback, as he had never seen Valdamar attack carelessly before. Before Valdamar could even land the attack on Banirith, the silver hand swept from behind The Guider of the Seekers, two of them forming a shield that blocked Banisher as the other two charged forward and knocked Valdamar past both Riku and Yami. "Vald!" Riku said.

Riku had turned to see Vald slumped against one of the glowing trees before he was himself launched up into the air by one of Banirith's arms. He quickly figured his balance and created a portal so he came through and came straight back and Banirith as he spun around with the keyblade. Banirith's tentacle arms at this time quickly raised themselves up in the air and pushed off the ground, causing him to be lifted up in the air and soar above Riku. Swinging wildly around in the air, Riku ended up flying towards Io who quickly lifted up his staff, pointed it at Riku as a spear of light blasted itself from the tip. The blow came quickly and Riku cried out as he was flung back into the motorcycle.

During so, Yami had soared into the air after Banirith, only for Xidmun to leap up in front of her, blocking her initial blast of darkness as a glowing shield came around him. The two landed on a tree limb as Yami could see his arm glowing many different colors. "The items they call Materia here grant individuals with may great abilities. It makes fighting you so much more fun, doesn't it?" Xidmun said as he slowly approached before speeding forward at an incredible speed.

Yami quickly created a portal of darkness in front of her, causing Xidmun to appear going up from underneath the limb, causing him to go face first into the tree, only to be followed by Yami slicing Dark Whisper at his arm as he went by. Xidmun caught himself on a limb higher in the great tree, Yami floating up from a gust as she saw a green glow going over his arm, healing his injury she had just given him. "Oh please," she said, dashing forward giving a gush of wind at her back.

The blast of wind plus her keyblade covered with a layer of darkness brought a blow at Xidmun it would of crushed his throat, if he had not disappeared in a puff of smoke. The attack ended up cracking the tree as Xidmun appeared behind her swinging his fast covered in a red energy. When he punched her in the back, a blast of fire erupted sending Yami to the ground as she screamed in pain as fell down, only to be grabbed by two of Banirith's tentacle arms. They began to squeeze down on her as Banirith brought her closer to him as he looked at her. "Look at yourself strangling from me. I can sense you brining the call of darkness to you so you can defeat me. Why must it be this way? I would have hoped I could get you to understand. But I guess there is no chance of convincing you," He said as his grasp tightened around her, chocking her.

Banirith then felt something quickly wrap around his neck, stinging him. He snapped his head to the right to see Valdamar standing somewhat weakly, the other end of his whip in his right hand, his left hand holding his sword lazily as the tip touched the ground. "I will say though, Allen, you show so much more determination then you ever have in the past."

"Let her go," Valdamar said.

"And?"

"I'll release me grip on you."

"And you think your grip couldn't stop me from harming her?"

"She has nothing to do with us. You just keeping following us because our history."

Banirith quickly flung Yami from his grasp as all four of his tentacle hands gripped on Valdamar's whip and yanked him forward. Valdamar was yanked through the air towards Banirith, his strength suddenly leaving him. He flew past Banirith before one of Banirith's arms caught him and shoved him to the ground. Before he could move to retrieve his sword which had just flew out of his grip, the hand on him began to push on him on the ground as the three other arms came up and shifted into blades which were all trained upon him as Banirith walked up to Valdamar and looked down at him.

"This has nothing to do with our past. Your decision to help those who wield keyblades was your own foolishness. You history with the Seekers just made it worse for you. I believe you may have a piece of the Royal Scroll with you. Hand it over, would you kindly?"

Valdamar had been struggling, but froze at the last sentence. Riku got up and saw a scary sight. All three Seekers standing over him, Banirith holding him down upon the ground, his sword and whip spread out, his hat thrown on the ground full of dirt, and his face looking up in pure fear. Riku slowly moved, but cringed greatly in pain as he held onto his chest looking upon the scene. However, he saw Valdamar move a shaking hand up slowly into his jacket to grab something. He then started to pull out a part of Royal Scroll he was hanging onto. Riku stared in shock. "What are you doing?" he yelled at him.

Before anything more could happen, a red shape descended from above, and flew over Yami, and then Riku, both disappearing from sight. The Seekers quickly stopped looking at Valdamar and looked around as the red thing flew around more, the sound of a gun going off as Xidmun quickly brought up his arms to block the onslaught of bullets fired. Io quickly stepped forward, whirling his white staff around causing an array of blasts of light to fire at the red mass, but it moved too fast and glided around and soon came up to Valdamar and covered over him. More gunshots were fired as the Seekers brought up their defenses before the mass flew off, leaving the Seekers standing in the woods. The Soulz looked around at each other. "It seems someone is looking after them," Io said.

Banirith twitched his eyebrow. "Is that so?" He said in a sarcastic tone. "Then perhaps you should rid of it!"

Riku leaned against the tree, Yami next to him as they waited for the potions to cure their injuries as next to the lake next to the area where they all sat. Valdamar was now sitting hunched up by where Cloud and Sora sat, the two of them having been ambushed by Kadaj and his gang who had apparently done something to control the children they had taken, including Denzel. The mysterious man who saved stood in the shadows, his eyes closed. "See? I knew I'd be no help," Cloud seemed to say to himself. "Vincent. What do you know about this?"

The man opened his eyes. "I come here often," he said stepping towards Cloud, his red cape in a sweeping motion. "I've seen what Kadaj's group is doing." Vincent suddenly grabbed Cloud by his left arm as Cloud grimaces. "The stigma…it's a symptom of alien matter infesting the body," he said as he left go and began to pace. "The body tries to eliminate it and overcompensates. Inside our bodies is a current like the Lifestream. That current is what fights off and malevolent intruders."

"Cloud, you have Geostigma?" Sora said concerned.

Cloud ignored Sora. "What do you mean by 'intruder'?"

"The Sephiroth gene. Jenova's memetic legacy. Call it what you want."

"You're well informed."

"Tseng and Elena. They were brought here half-dead. They must have been brutally tortured. I did what I could to save them, but…well, we'll see."

Valdamar seemed to pulling himself together finally after hearing the stigma was Sephiroth's gene. "Tortured?" he asked.

"They had it coming. They got their hands on Jenova's head. And some scroll they said."

"The Royal Scroll!" Yami said.

Cloud has reached a realization too. "Then when Kadaj says he's looking for 'Mother'…"

"Heaven's dark harbinger. The calamity, Jenova," Vincent summarized. "If they wanted to, they could recreate Sephiroth."

Cloud stared at the reflection. "Kadaj…what is he?"

"Part of what Sephiroth once was. We had run into some guy named Hojo who had created the three of them. One heartless, one nobody, one soulz claiming that with them and leftover DNA he could bring back someone," Valdamar said.

"But why?" Sora asked.

Suddenly, a rustle came from the brush, Cloud and Vincent quickly reading themselves, Sora up on his feet in a defensive stance. However, Marlene came running out of brush, scarred. "Cloud!" she said as she ran up and clung to his leg. "Denzel…and, Tifa!"

"Tifa is alright," Cloud reassured.

"I wanna talk with her!"

Cloud reached around his belt, but was shocked to see that his phone has fallen during the battle. Marlene noticed too and turned to look at Sora and Vincnet. "May I?"

Sora just kind of shook his hands as Vincent dramatically moved his cape to show he had no phone. "You don't have a phone?" she said in disbelief.

"Vincent, will you bring Marlene to Tifa? I'm gonna go see Shinra and get a few answers."

"I can't do that."

"But I-"

"Forget it Cloud!" Marlene said half-crying, shocking Cloud. "Why don't you ever pay any attention to us?"

She quickly ran over to Vincent and under his cape, to which he draped over Marlene, almost concealing her. "Marlene. Please give some time," Cloud said. "There's a battle to be fought, but it's not as simple as fighting it. Understand?"

"No I don't!"

"Cloud…you sure this about fighting?" Sora asked.

Cloud looked down and though to himself. Suddenly to Valdamar, everything went white for a second for he could only see Cloud, but he could also smell the fresh air of a gentle spring breeze. He could then hear thoughts that sounded like Cloud's voice. "But…I let you die…"

Then came a voice he instantly recognized. "Dilly-dally, silly-shally. Isn't it time you did the forgiving?"

Everything returned to normal as Valdamar looked around a bit, the scene the same right before the white flash. "Are sins ever forgiven?" Cloud asked.

"Of course they are Cloud," Sora said.

"I've never tried," Vincent said, which caused Sora to give Vincent an odd look.

"You mean…never tried…" Cloud drifted off, his thoughts to himself before he raised his head. "Marlene, let's go." Marlene poked her head out and ran happily to Cloud who took her hand. "Well, I'm going to try. I'll phone in the verdict," he said walking off with Marlene.

Valdamar went to get up and follow, but Riku quickly got over to him and stopped him. "You got something to explain before we head out. Why did you try to give the Seekers the Royal Scroll?"

"What?" Sora said looking at Valdamar.

Valdamar was silent as he stared at Riku. "You know that I had a past with the Seekers. That's why I decided to come along with you. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Then why would you try to give something to your enemy the we've been collecting so they don't get it!" Riku said, his temper rising.

Yami walked up and slapped Riku. "Hey!" Sora said.

"You know nothing," Yami as she stared at them as she began to walk around, Vincent just staring at them, not saying a word.

Riku glanced between the two of them. "Could anyone at least explain what is going on here?"

Valdamar gripped his hand in fists. "I can't tell you. If I did you'd-"

"What? Do what? I wasn't so sure about you when you first decided to join us, heck I especially didn't trust Yami. What I'm saying is that we need to know we can trust each other. Now tell me!"

Valdamar quickly uppercut Riku with a punch sending him against a tree. "SHUT UP!" he yelled.

Riku quickly got up. "That's it!"

He ran forward and brought a fist into Valdamar's gut, as Vald brought his arm down hitting Riku down on the head. Both fell back but quickly regained their balance. "Both of you, stop this!" Sora said trying to get between them. However Sora felt himself getting pulled by Yami. "Hey!"

"Let them fight," Yami said.

"But this is ridiculous!"

Yami gave Sora a dark stare as Sora could see the darkness building up behind her as the two began to fist fight against each other. "Look Sora. Personally, I don't think you understand everything clearly. Yes, Riku and you have had an interesting past, some parts dark. From what he's told me, you've fought each other many times to the point where Riku almost didn't exist anymore. Me and Valdamar…you've only dealt with the tip of the iceberg, and he's ashamed of it."

Riku had just shoved Vald back into the pond. He cried out in anger and jumped back, darkness around his fist. His punch missed as Vald yanked out his whip and caught it around Riku's wrist. "This has gone too far!" Sora said running from Yami's grasp and pushed Valdamar back causing him to fall to the ground and fall on top of his already ruined hat.

"Get away Sora!" Valdamar said kicking Sora away and got back on his feet.

Riku ran up, but a strong gust of wind blew him back on his feet. "Don't move," Yami said.

Riku gasped deeply, catching his breath. "What? And let him attack me again?"

"You don't understand!" Yami said, her hand opened, a force of darkness gathering around her hand.

Vald walked up to Yami and put a hand on hers. Yami shot her a dark glance, but Valdamar took the part of the Royal Scroll in his other hand and handed it to her. "Take it. I'm leaving."

"What?" Sora said.

"It's obvious that I'm not welcome here. And being with you put you all at greater risk then you are already. My past with Banirith and the Seekers was the worst thing of my life. I can't let it get worse."

"Then explain to us what happened!" Sora said, Riku sitting up slightly.

"Valdamar. Look, I overreacted. Sometimes the darkness gets to me and wants to edge me on. I'm sorry, but if we knew what happened perhaps-"

"-you could help me?" Valdamar snapped turning around. "You mean the same exact thing he told me? The empty promise he gave me! He promised my love back and all I got was being dumped in the darkness left to die!" He said with tears coming from his eyes. "Banirith said he could bring back Mary to me and used me as his tool to create the Seekers! To create the enemy you face today! Do you understand? I am the reason you are fighting over this Royal Scroll! It's my fault entirely! If I didn't exist, none of this wouldn't have happened!"

* * *

Vincent Valentine – An odd character who had once fought alongside Cloud Strife and has a most intriguing past. He never ages based having already died before. He first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII_ in 1997.

Once again, apologizing for lack of updates. Work is busy and all. I'll update as much as I can.

_Dezblade_


	61. 60: Valdamar Allen

Chapter 60: The Hidden Past

Riku and Sora were shocked, just staring at Valdamar. Yami stood there looking at Valdamar, her face emotionless. Vincent still stayed in the shadows, not moving since Cloud had left. "Don't you understand?" he said, his voice shaking. "I am your enemy. I'm the reason all this happened. I can't help you. I've hindered you enough already."

Sora tried to say something. He knew Valdamar as the person who was often sarcastic and always stayed positive. He was strong and kept fighting even if the odds were against him. But here he stood trembling, weak. Without his hat and his hair all messed up with his expression just showed Sora that Valdamar wasn't quite the person he had come to know.

Valdamar sniffed and tried to stand up straighter, slowly retrieving his hat and loosely putting it back on his head, retrieved his bag, whip, and sword and put them back on. "You see," he said, his voice a little stronger, "Yami showed up at one point, and managed to convince me to leave the Seekers and show what I had been doing. All my errors, and I thank her for that. But nevertheless, it is still my fault. At one point, I thought she was gone for we were separated, but I guess she was strong enough to survive."

He turned to look at them, and gave a face with no expression, and quickly looked at the ground. "I'm sorry. I won't hinder any further."

He turned and went to walk off into the woods. "Wait!" Sora said. "So what you did some stuff with the Seekers?"

"That applies to everything you now face," he said not turning his back.

"Look, Valdamar," Riku said, causing Valdamar to slow down slightly. "We've both dealt with people who have betrayed us. Just because were lost in the darkness doesn't mean we can't return to the light."

"Riku. I'm sorry about the bruise on your arm. I did not wish to fight you, but my past has been…more than I wish for it to handle. If I think about it I…I lose control. I meddled in things that shouldn't have been meddled with, and now you are dealing with the price," he said as he was almost out of earshot.

The only further sound was his footsteps upon the ground as he continued to walk through the brush. "Allen."

He froze upon hearing the name. He heard footsteps as Yami approached him. She looked at him, once again expressionless. She brought up her hand as if to slap him, but stayed her hand. "Look at me Allen."

Slowly, he moved his head to look at her. She stared at him. "You can't help it still, can you? What I did tell you back there? Back in that room where you nearly lost yourself?"

The young adult stared back at Yami. "Yami, I…I…"

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU?" she as she clenched her hand in a fist that quickly became covered in darkness and slammed it into him.

He didn't even try to block the attack as he flew back in the air as his back hit a tree and he slowly got up to look at Yami shaking her fists at her side as she marched at him. "ANSWER ME!"

The teenager quickly snatched up his hat again and placed it upon his head. He was silent as he stared until she reached him again. She brought her hand again, but Valdamar caught it. "You told me that I needed to know who I am so I can decide what I will do."

"And who are you? Valdamar? Or Allen?" She said, her face not changing.

He was silent. He tilted his head down. "I need time."

"You've had months! Who are you! Answer me now!" She said.

"I JUST CAN'T FORGET WHAT I'VE DONE, OKAY?" he exploded, causing Yami to step back in surprise. "The past can never change. I understand that, don't get me wrong. But because of that, my life has been ruined, or at least what is left of it."

Riku and Sora had finally caught up with them and had heard the past few sentences. "Look, Vald," Sora started, but the fedora wearing teenager held up a hand.

"Valdamar was a name I gave myself to forget my past. My name was Allen."

"But that's not who you are now, is it?" Sora asked.

"I am both."

"Then make both work," Riku said. "And before you say impossible, I'm still here."

He opened his mouth when he felt a clawed arm put down on his shoulder. He turned to see Vincent behind him. "It's almost day. You should all head back. Cloud's already headed off. I will bring him back to Edge."

"But we-"

"You need to go now. We will be along shortly," Vincent said. "Give them your keys." The teenager slowly took out the keys and handed them to Vincent, who tossed them to Riku. "You can get back?"Riku nodded. "Good, go. We will reach Edge soon."

Sora, Riku, and Yami all left slowly, but Yami quick ran back. "Remember?" she asked tossing something at the teenager.

Upon reflex, he grabbed the item, and opened it up to see a small house key in his hands. Nothing unusual about it, save for the scratches "V/AXM/Y". He closed his hand around the key as he quickly looked up, only to see the three were already gone. He turned to look at the man, or whatever he was, who had saved them from the Seekers. "What is it you want?" he asked. "Haven't I caused enough?"

"Come with me," Vincent said, turning around and walking through the woods. "There is something you should see."

Slowly, the teenager slipped the key into his pocket, and followed after Vincent. Soon, Vincent began to increase his speed, the teenager beginning to run to keep up with him. Vincent began to go swift, the teen running as fast as he could to keep up, till at one point he lost sight of him. "Hey! Where'd you go?" he yelled as he continued to run in the direction he had last seen Vincent. "Hold up!"

He must of ran for at least ten more minutes before he slowed down and leaned against a tree, catching his breath. He looked around the area. He was now be a weird lake with a structure that went just over the surface of the water as it glowed form the reflections of the water. "Where could he have gone?" he said out loud to himself.

He grabbed a bottle of water he had in his bag when it bumped against something else. Confused, he pulled it out to find out it was a Papou fruit. He remembered Kairi had asked for him to hold it onto her until they were reunited with the others, but both of them had forgotten completely about it. What was so important about the fruit anyway?

"You don't know what it is, do you?"

The teen spun around and looked up in the tree to see Vincent standing upon one of the limbs. "Where have you been?" he asked.

"More importantly, where have you been?" Vincent asked. "The Papou fruit, a very rare fruit indeed. It is said that those who share one, their lives shall be intertwined."

The teen looked at the fruit. "You mean share eating it with someone?"

"That is how it is said. Why do you posses one with you?"

"Someone had asked me to hold onto it for them because they wanted to save it for sometime later."

"Do you think this person would treasure such a gift to someone they would trust or wouldn't trust as much?" Vincent asked.

The teenager was silent. "Someone they would trust. But that was Valdamar. I am not him."

"Then are you Allen?" Silence. "If you do not know the answer, then you are no one. And you should not exist," Vincent said pulling out a three barreled gun and fired it at him.

The teen jumped out of the way jumping in surprise, dropping the fruit as he gripped his sword. "What was that for?"

"If you have no name, if you have no clue of your purpose, you shouldn't exist," Vincent simply said and fired again.

Valdamar quickly blocked the shot with his sword. "Stop it!"

"Then what is your name?" Vincent asked again, reloading his gun.

The teen was quiet, but lowered his sword, but quickly threw his sword at Vincent. Vincent quickly moved to the side as the sword passed him and fell into the water. "I can't just let go of my past!" he yelled. "Yes horrible things happened and I'm responsible for things that can't be undone. But things happened also happened in the past that made Valdamar. If it weren't for Allen, Valdamar wouldn't exist."

"But that doesn't answer my question."

"How can you ask me to choose between the two?"

"That's not what I asked."

The teen became confused. "What?"

"I did not ask you to choose. I asked what your name was."

The teen was quiet as he thought to himself. He slowly walked over to the Papou fruit and picked it up, dusting the dirt off of it, Vincent's gun trained on him the entire time. He took of his bag and gently set the Papou fruit inside. He also pulled off his hat and put it on top. He slowly took off his jacket, and set his whip down too. He neared the water's edge, and took off his shoes and socks. "What are you doing?" Vincent asked.

"Retrieving my sword," he simply said, and dived headfirst into the water.

The teen opened his eyes under the water, surprised to see that the water was crystal clear. He could see the sword falling down deeper. It was really deep as the teen began to propel himself deeper into the water. For some reason, he found himself at ease in the water. He slowly reached the bottom where he saw the sword upon the ground, a dead phone next to it. He quickly grabbed the sword, but a flow of energy washed over him. Before he could do anything, he found himself surrounded by white, and found he could breathe. He was still soaked, but he was now standing on solid ground he couldn't see with pure white all around him.

He looked around, but saw nothing. "Hello?" he asked nervously, turning around, sword still in his hand.

"Please, don't be frightened," came a voice he instantly recognized as Aerith's.

"Aerith?" He asked, remembering the same thing had happened earlier with Cloud.

"Yes, it's me. You see, the spring is where my life ended, yet in a way began again."

The teen looked at the ground. "You had talked to Cloud earlier. Something about forgiving."

"Yes. He had never forgiven himself for what had happened. But I had never blamed him. Not once."

He looked around the pure white area. "Why am I here?"

"I want help you," she said.

Suddenly a rushing wind spread past him, almost instantly drying him. The white began to fade away until he found himself in a brown room, a window in the far wall. _No, this can't be._ He thought to himself as he wildly looked around. But it was his old room two years ago in Twilight Town. He turned to see his old bed and gasped. There he was, sixteen nearly seventeen, sitting on his bed and going through many sheets of paper, a broken piece of equipment on the desk next to him. **Neku's Playlist: Who I Am by Smile Empty Soul**

Frustrated, the younger self threw the item across the room. "Gosh dang it!" The item hit the opposite wall and fell to the ground. The past self lay on his bed, holding up his hat back when it was still new, twirling it around his finger. "Why bother? It's not even possible."

"That is what you may think, Allen."

The young adult and his past self both moved slowly to turn and see a man with purple hair wearing silver cloak standing in the room, the item in his hand. "There may be a way to create a change. Change the way the people have acted. Make everything right. That's what you're looking for, aren't you?"

The Soulz took something from his cloak and began to fiddle with the device. Within seconds, the device hummed to life, sparks dancing around it. The younger self look at it amazement. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Banirith, and I have an offer for you Allen."

"No. No," the present self said looking at the scene. "No, don't take it. You'll regret it. Don't do it!"

Before the teen could move, the scene changed again. He was now in a room full of many computer monitors as wells as a table with many assorted gadgets. The door opened as the younger self walked in and looked at everything in awe. "How did you come across all of this?" he asked.

"I have many resources Allen. Now remember, if you help me, I will help you."

The room changed to the point to where the younger self looked more like his current self. He, Banirith and Xidmun stood before a portal of sorts opened up in the room. The younger stood in front of a panel, his hands shaking slightly. "But what if it's wrong? What if it doesn't work?"

"It will. Trust me. Now would you kindly activate the portal?" Banirith said.

The younger self slowly looked at the portal, his normal self yelling at him to stop, the pleas bringing nothing. Before the portal was activated though, the scene changed again, this time his younger self kneeling by the edge of a bed, tears in his eyes, a figure underneath the sheets. Banirith stood near the door to the room. "Why are you sad. This is what you wanted, correct?"

"No! I didn't work! It's not her!" said the younger self and furry.

Banirith placed a hand his shoulder. "Allen, never judge a book by its cover. Sure, an appearance will make an impression, but the heart never changes."

The scene changed once again as he was in the clothing had been in earlier, Yami next to him. "Any suggestions wise guy?" Yami asked as they began to be surrounded by Dusks.

The past self tipped his hat and flung his whip which was new at the time. "I always have tricks up my sleeve."

It changed again to the two sitting in a room, both sitting on his bed. "So that's why I'm here? Is that it?" Yami asked, her temper rising.

His past self took his hat off and lay it on the bed. "No…there's more. I wanted to prove myself that I could do things. He just helped me get off the ground."

"But what about that Professor guy you told me about?"

"Well…he taught me the basics."

"Then you should be working with him, not Banirith! I don't blame you for what you've done, but you can't let him control you."

His past self leaned against the wall. "But…last time I tried to leave."

"Hey, I'm here," Yami said putting a hand on his shoulder.

The present self for once didn't want the scene to fade away as he felt everything change around him again as he saw himself no more than five months ago standing in front of Banirith, Xidmun, and Vexen. "And why should you two go and take care of this threat. I thought you still wanted to fix the machine and restore to things the way they should be? Have you changed your mind?"

His past self shook his head. "No. After all, you suggested we learn combat, and the heartless are gaining closer to here. I believe I may be able to awaken something soon. It seems like her emotions are peaking almost every day."

It changed again as he could see himself fall down upon the ground, heartless crowding around him. Yami ran forward suddenly when a gust picked up, the silver sword disappearing in a flash a dark keyblade appeared in her hands, darkness in her fists. She blew the heartless away, and the sent them all into a black hole that appeared above.

Changing again, he saw himself standing in front of the three again. "No! This is ridiculous! Why would she go into the darkness?"

"You said her emotions were increasing. Perhaps you didn't see the signs," Xidmun said.

The past self was silent. Again, it shifted in front of the teenager, who fell down. His past happening in front of him was too much for him. "Aerith! Please! Stop!"

However, it changed to the room again, Yami pointing at the keyblade at the past self at his neck. "So that's the only reason I'm here? Is it? Answer me!"

His past self breathed heavily, till he quickly brought up his sword and blocked Yami's keyblade, surprisingly. He held it up against her, but dropped the sword. "I'm no one. I should not exist for what I have done."

He turned and sat on the bed and banged his head against the wall. A hand was put on his shoulder. "Well, if you are no longer Allen, who are you?"

His past self was quiet. "I don't know. I shouldn't exist then."

"Well you're still here you idiot. So who are you? What will you do now?"

His past self banged on the wall a few times, and then turned around. He quickly then got to his feet and ripped open a door to a closet. He grabbed his jacket, his hat, and a whip hanging on the end. He took many odds and ends sitting on a desk on the room, and organized them quickly in his bag. He put them on and readied himself. He went to grab his sword, but Yami picked it with her free hand and pointed it at him. "What will you do?"

His past self looked at her. He then grinned the grin he worn often so lately. "Call me Valdamar. And we are getting out of here!"

Suddenly, everything stopped as the current teenager walked up and looked at himself no more than four months ago. "I had lost everything, and she was the one who convinced me to change myself. To leave my past behind."

"So," Aeirth's voice came as the scene changed again to pure white, his sword lying on the ground. "may I ask?"

The teenager shook his head. "You don't have to. The mistakes may have shaped me into who I am, but that won't stop me from making things better for the future."

He walked forward and picked up the sword in his hand. He looked it over. He gripped it in his left hand comfortably, then tossed it up in the air, and quickly caught it swiping it in the air. "My name is Valdamar Allen. And I am going to make things right from the mistakes I have caused."

Suddenly everything became bright around him as he was enveloped in a bright light. Suddenly, he felt himself being surrounded by water while being hurled up at the same time. He felt himself break the water's surface and bounce on dry land, his sword flying off and striking into a tree as he coughed up some water. He slowly got to his feet, pounding his chest to get the rest of the water out. He wiped his face to removed the water beads on his face as he saw Vincent standing next to where his blade stuck in a tree, the sun rising upon the horizon. "You were gone for a little."

The teenager gave a grin unfamiliar to Vincent. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said in a sarcastic tone as he withdrew his sword from the tree.

"Can you answer my question?" he asked.

The teenager quickly grabbed his items and put back on his clothing, even if they were wet. "The name's Valdamar Allen. But just call me Vald." Vald said as he picked up his bag with the Papou fruit. He had to return it. "You know how to get a way back to Edge?"

Vincent nodded. "A fast one too. Follow me."

* * *

A shorter chapter, but the next one is going to be quite a lengthy one, so expect maybe in two weeks. I'll try to keep a weekly update deal going, but we'll see how that goes because I've never really been good about keeping consistent updates.

And when I mean big chapter, I mean lots of action and fighting. Stay tuned.

_Dezblade_


	62. 61: Those Who Fight Further

Chapter 61: Those Who Fight Further

It was chaos. The crowd of people surrounded the monument that had built in Edge when the meteor had nearly destroyed the planet. Children stood around the monument, their eyes glazed over, frozen like statues. Yazoo and Loz stood there, chains attached to the monument, trying to tear it down, but the crowd had become annoying. Yazoo raised a hand, and instantly beast like heartless emerged from the ground and began to attack the citizens. During all of this chaos, Tifa had run through the crowd and saw Denzel among the children standing around the monument. She ran up to him and shook him. "Denzel! Denzel!" she said gasping, but gasped even more when she saw his expressionless face with his eyes that reminded her of someone from long ago.

On the other side of the monument, Loz and Yazoo were continuing to try to take down the monument, when they were soon interrupted. "And what are we up to?"

The two turned around to see Reno and Rude approaching them, Reno with his baton out. "We know, Mother is here," Yazoo said.

"Oh yeah?" Rude questioned.

"Yeah, this, uh, thing…"Loz said having trouble with his words, "monument thing? Shinra made it."

"Oh no. You're just too clever," said Reno, followed by Rude.

"Except you're wrong."

"And wherever she is we just don't know!" Reno said, followed by the two giving light laughter.

"What, the peons aren't trusted?" Yazoo said.

Both Reno and Rude looked back and forth at each other for a comeback, but neither could come up with one. However, Reno charged forward, ready to take them head on.

Meanwhile at a building under construction, Rufus sat in his wheelchair, watching the events below. Kadaj was on left, the man in silver on his right. "Say Kadaj, I've got a question for you."

"I've got an answer."

"You said you needed Jenova cells, in order to be whole again. What did you mean by that?"

"Him. He's coming back," said the one in silver.

"…Sephiroth. The nightmare."

"So they say." Kadaj said.

"You mean…"

"I"ve never known Sephiroth. I just…I sense him there. It's unbearable…to think Mother might want Sephiroth more than…"

"Poor little Remnant."

"It doesn't matter who she picks! You'll all meet the same end! Mother came to this planet after a long journey. To rid the cosmos of fools like you! But you know as well as I do: Nothing's changed since she got here. I have to change it. If Mother willed it, I would do anything!"

"Hmph, the nightmare returns."

"As long as you exist as a whole, the nightmares will come again and again," said the one in silver.

Rufus paused for a second. "The Lifestream courses through our planet, back and forth across the borders of life and death. If that cycle is the very truth of life, then history, too, will inevitably repeat itself. So go on, bring your Jenovas and your Spehiroths; it won't matter. We'll do as life dictates and stop you every single time."

The man in silver had stopped pacing, and turned to look at him, his purple hair. "Really? Is that what you think? Then why did you go after Jenova and the Royal Scroll yourself if you know things can't be changed? You don't seem sorry for doing so."

"Sorry? Why…I've never has this much fun."

Kadaj grinned as he turned to look at Rufus. "Good. Then let's put an end to all this."

Both Kadaj and the man in silver raised their arms simultaneous at blasted strands of magical energy into the sky. The two magic strands fused with each other as they gathered in the clouds and began to build up energy. As the clouds built up, an enormous creature began to form within the clouds as a dragon of the soul of a storm descended upon the town of Edge, roaring fiercely.

Reno and Rude were just about to attack Yazoo and Loz just as the Soulz Buhamut descended from the sky. Reno froze in spot, Rude running into his batton and fell on the ground. He got up holding his nose to turn to see the summoned beast.

"Hel-lo…" Reno said weakly.

"Hell no." Rude said.

The two quickly spun around, grabbing children as they went by as a Mega Flare built up in the Buhamut's maw. The two ran away, the children in their arms both breathing hard. "Is it after us?" Reno asked.

"I'm not lookin'!" Rude said as they both ran, only to be blown off their feet from the explosion as the Mega Flare hit the monument resulting in a explosion knocking everyone onto their feet.

The children the two had been carried by came to their sense as they began to get up slowly and walk off as Yazoo and Loz walked up, laughing at Reno and Rude as they got up on their feet. "Are we having fun yet? Huh?" Yazoo asked with a snicker.

"The time of my LIFE!" Reno said getting up with a kick that Yazoo just jumped out of the way and laughed, not even bothering with his weapons.

Reno went in with a flurry of punches, but Yazoo dodged or blocked them and sent Reno back. Reno came back quickly throwing in more punches. "When are you gonna call it a day?" Reno asked as he sent a powerfull punch, only for Yazoo to jump away onto a rooftop.

"What? Just as soon as you give back Mother, that'll be the end of everything."

Reno growled as he ran at the building, climbed the scaffolding quickly and jumped forward at Yazoo, only for him to jump out of the way. During this, Rude and Loz were dealing in close combat, yeach one giving heafty punches. The two were now were a strong grasp of one another. "You punks...what do you need Jenova's head for?" Rude said as he gave Loz a headbutt.

Quickly stunned by the attack, Rude heaved Loz over his head to throw him over his shoulders, but the Heartless remnant of Sephiroth had held onto Rude's grasp and had landed upon his own two feet. Rude looked in shook at what Loz had done before he found himself launched off flying from Loz's throw. Above on the rooftops, Reno is delivering more punches at Yazoo, who is dodging with ease. Reno talks between breaths. "Forget your little Reunion and get a grip!" he said before charging in again.

"All we want is to be with Mother!" Yazoo said right before giving a powerful kick that sent Reno flying across the sky into a billboard sign.

Rude was now just slowly getting back up to his feet, still shaken from being thrown as Loz approached him. "Mother will know. When she gets here, she'll decide what's best. Now, where is Mother?"

Just as Rude was about to take a step, a certain sign fell upon his head, causing him to move back and forth. "Damn sign," he muttered to himself as he tried to regain his balance before Reno fell on top of him next, causing the two to fall on the ground and Rude's sunglasses to come off.

Yazoo landed effortlessly next to Loz as Reno slowly got off of Rude, crushing his sunglasses beneath his feet. Rude is shocked at this and obviously shows at as he uncomftorably stands up, dusts himself off and reaches inside his coat for another pair. "Mother, smother. It's Jenova's friggin' head!"

"Hey!" Loz quickly yelled, his temper quickly flaring up.

"I will not you have you refer to Mother that way," Yazoo said, for the first time with a tone with his words.

"You meanie…" Loz said.

Rude fit his new pair of sunglasses on. "Our apologies."

Reno looked down for a moment. "Your ma's cool," before looking up. "What the hell am I saying!" he said running and jumping into the air as Yazoo met him.

Loz distracted by this did not see Rude bring a fist forward knocking him back, as Reno finally managed to land a hit on his opponent. Both flew back, Reno turning to give a thumbs up to Rude, only to turn and to have Loz charging at him who blew him back, knocking him into Rude as the two flew back. The two got up breathing hard as Loz and Yazoo approached on opposite sides, both grinning.

Kairi, Donald, and Goofy had all run out when they saw the heartless creatures start to attack, and were trying to fight them off. When the summoned creature had descended though, they all were also blasted off of their feet before they could get a lot of citizens out of the way. Kairi quickly got up to see both Tifa and Denzel on the ground, Denzel coming to and looking at Tifa. "Denzel! You okay?" Kairi yelled after him.

The boy did not hear her, but saw the summoned monster, and in anger began to run at it. "Oh no," Kairi said frightened, quickly running to stop Denzel, Donald and Goofy waking up behind her.

Before she could get close to him, she saw Tifa wake up as a large man also ran up next to Denzel. The man but a metallic hand on his shoulder, holding him back. He quickly brought up his hand as it suddenly began to move back very fluidly as where his hand now was a very large gun on his hand as he began to fire upon the Soulz Buhamut. "You look after Momma!" the man said to Denzel.

"Barret!" Tifa yelled out in surprise.

"Marlene better be safe, huh?" Barrett said to Tifa, before running forward, and odd tiger like animal coming up to run beside him with a glowing end tail, the mark XIII on above its right foreleg, and a small black colored kitten with a crown upon his back.

Red XIII jumped onto the beast, gripping down with his jaw to hold onto the Soulz Buhamut by its mouth. The massive dragon beast tried to shake it off with no effect as Cait Sith hung onto Red XIII for his dear life. "We cannot handle this!" he yelled as he was pitched around.

Kairi was back on her feet with Donald and Goofy, looking at the mysterious fighters who had appeared out of nowhere. She saw the massive creature ready to attack Barret as his gun-arm began to jam, but a familiar shuriken flew in from the air and struck Soulz Buhamut across the face. The creature roared out in pain as it jumped back, wings flared. Kairi looked up into the air to see Yuffie coming down by a parachute just as she hit the ground. She quickly got out of the fabric of the parachute, a small grin upon her face. She turned to look at Tifa, a little glare in her eyes. "Alright, who's been touching my materia?"

"The bad guys, naturally," Tifa responded, a small smile upon her face.

"Ooooohhhhh!" she yelled running at the Soulz Buhamut.

"Watch out!" Goofy called out as a beast heartless charged at the three of them.

As it jumped in midair at them, a flare of light came down from above smiting the heartless. After the light cleared, Kairi saw Roxas and Namine descending towards them upon a hang glider also from the air, another parachute with King Mickey decending. They roughly landed, Roxas quickly unbuckling them and getting to his feet, summoning keyblades in his hands. "Sorry we're late. The invitations got lost in the mail," he said before he ran forward, Namine and the King jogging after him as they approached the massive monster.

Denzel stood in awe at all the warriors rushing past them. "Who's that?"

Before he could answer, three beasts all jumped at Tifa and Denzel, their jaws hanging open.

Before anything could happen, a man with yellow hair and a spear swopped down and spun around, catching the beasts by the end of his staff, and spun around catching all the heartless off guard and throwing them into a building. Cid spun his staff around triumphantly, a small grin upon his face. "She's a beaut!" he said as he pointed to a massive airship in the sky. "My Shera, the latest model! I'll give you the grand tour afterward!" he said running off waving as he too headed off after the Soulz Buhamut.

"Where can I buy a phone…?" came a voice to where Tifa turned to see Vincent walking by her, calm as ever, just simply walking up towards the monster, his cape moving in the breeze.

"Who's he?" Goofy asked.

"They're our friends," Tifa said, with a smile on her face.

Donald raised his eyebrow, before quaking out in surprise as heartless beasts rushed them, but two fireballs fell down on the ground destroying them. As the flames parted, Axel and Neku appeared, both streaching out their arms. "Looks like you guys couldn't handle this on your own."

"Axel! Neku!" Kairi said.

Neku gave a thumbs up. "Good as ever. Looks like you guys are alright too."

Suddenly, the sound of a motorcycle caused them to turn as Cloud came in on his bike. "Marlene will be safe. I took her home." Tifa nodded her head in approval. "I feel lighter," Cloud continued, Tifa slightly confused. "Maybe I lost some weight. All that silly-dallying," to which Tifa grinned and nodded.

"I'm gonna go back and see Marlene, okay, Cloud?" said Denzel, back to normal. "We'll wait for you!" he said as he started to run off before turning around. "We'll see you there, won't we Cloud?"

Cloud nodded, before Denzel smiled and ran off. Cloud quickly took out two swords from his bike, Tifa getting on behind him. "Cloud, where's the others?" Donald asked.

"They're coming. Let's go," he said, as he went off on the bike, Tifa with him.

"Let's do this!" Kairi said to Donald and Goofy, as they too charged off against the mighty creature.

The two Seekers stood on the rooftop opposite of where all the warriors had entered, watching with their eyes intent. "It seems bending the world has brought back some old friends of the one named Cloud," Io said.

Xidmun scowled slightly. "And somehow Sora's friends also ended up finding this place too. With him gone only leaving the Princess of Heart and the two King's lackeys, this would have been a better situation. But no matter, even with that many it will keep them distracted long enough."

"But still, how did a piece of the Royal Scroll end up in an alternate reality?" Io asked.

"It didn't."

"Hm?"

"This is the real reality. The Radiant Garden they all know of was not the original reality. The Royal Scroll there only arrived there after the shift in reality, but there was one here before the shift in reality had ever happened."

"So Radiant Garden is not supposed to exist?"

"Not so. Sometimes it is better for a reality to be warped. This planet has been warped so many times from its natural state, to Radiant Garden, to Hollow Bastion, and then back to Radiant Garden. All we had to do was restore it to its original state."

"Could it ever return?"

Xidmun sighed irritably. "I wish everyone stopped asking that question. Yes, it could. The only way to do so is undo the event that brought it back to its original state. Perhaps we will once we get the Royal Scroll, we will see what we shall do."

Suddenly, Io leaned forward. "Well, it seemed Cloud has arrived back, and he doesn't seem to be holding back."

Xidmun rubbed his hands together. "Well, I guess that means we can actually go in and do something, huh?"

"I wouldn't be sure about that!"

Both Seekers turned around to see a motorcycle with a passenger car ride up a ramp onto the roof, Riku, Yami, and Sora on it, keyblades at the ready. The quickly zoomed at the Seekers, jumping out just as the motorcycle ran into the two Seekers and the two were pushed off the side of the building, the three with keyblades free falling before Yami brought a gust of wind to carry them onto one of the I-beams on the construction area where the others were fighting Soulz Buhamut.

"Alright!" Sora said, pumping his fist in the air as he saw the motorcycle hit the ground, crashing and denting as it fell upon the two seekers. However, it was immediately blown off with a blast of light as it flipped over and landed on its wheels straight up as Io and Xidmun slowly got their feet. "I agree. Let us fight!" Io said, pounding his staff into the ground.

A ball of light surrounded the two Seekers and quickly disappeared only to reappear right next to the three, both swinging their weapons. Yami and Riku both brought their keyblades up, blocking the attacks as Sora jumped onto Soulz Buhamut as it soared by them. "Two on two seems even," Riku said.

"More like unfair for them," Yami said.

Both quickly fell into a portal of darkness between the two causing the Seekers to stumble forward slightly as they both popped out from above, firing blasts of darkness at the two. Io quickly formed a shield of light around the two, to which bolts of light came hurling out at them. The two keyblade wielders twirled around in the air as they dodged the light and came down upon the beams.

The beams could no longer hold against the strain of the attacks and broke, causing the four to fall downwards. Riku however continued to slash at Xidmun as Yami spun around, using wind to swing pieces of the beam at Io. They were evenly matched as they fell downwards. Xidmun and Riku gave each other scratched and hit, till at one point they were clashed against each other. "What makes yourself so sure you can take us on?"

"I could ask you the same!" Riku said, quickly using his other hand to shoot a Dark Firagra underneath his arm right at where Xidmun should have a stomach.

Yami finally caught herself upon a beam and flipped around in the air so she would land her feet as Io continued to fall before a platform of light appeared beneath him. He instantly rode up on it as he ascended he was level with her. "It is time this was brought to an end. Come back with me Yami, and we can correct your past."

"Hmph!" Yami said with a shake of her head. "You think you have the right to talk the past. There is only now, the present!" she yelled as she spread her arms out at her side.

Instantly, a small black portal opened up in front of her. It began to suck everything around her, stretching the I-beams. Io fired volleys of light into the hole, trying to destroying it, but they were immediately swallowed up by the hole as it began to slowly suck him in. His cloak whipped back and forth as beast heartless zoomed past him as they were swallowed as well into the hole. He quickly disappeared in a flash of light, Yami quickly dissipating the hole before it did more.

Io appeared next to Xidmun as he slowly recovered himself. "I believe it is time we implemented Phase B Xidmun," Io said out of breath.

"Don't boss me around!" Xidmun said frustrated, but both disappeared in a portal.

Riku stared at the spot they stood and Yami landed next to him. "Shame we had to ruin the bike," Riku said looking at it on the ground.

Yami shook her hand. "What matters is they're gone."

A great roar made them turn as they saw the Soulz Buhamut rise up high into the air, a magical energy beginning to form within its jaws as it flew up. "Looks like they could use a hand," Riku said.

Yami nodded, moving her arm as a powerful gust of wind picked them up high into the construction site.

Barret fired from a lower beam at the beast as it flew around. However, the beast readied a fireball in its mouth and shot it at him. He cried out quickly before jumping from the beam and jumping onto another one, barely grabbing the beam. As he regained his strength, Axel came from the flames, ridding them as he rose up and began firing fireballs at the Soulz Buhamut. It reached to bite at him, but he landed on a beam and rolled out of the way as it flew past him, throwing his charklams as he did so.

Donald and Goofy now jumped from a beam above, Goofy hurling his shield as Donald fired a set of fireworks at the beast, both bouncing off its wings, causing its flight patter to go off and run into part of the structure. However, one it flaps knocked both of them back, both crying out before catching their grip again on a beam. During this, Cid was running by on a beam and used all his strength to leap up high in the air, staff raised, as he came down bringing the tip of the blade down upon its head.

Buhamut roared once more, shaking back and forth in the air, Cid hanging on until he saw a low rafter approaching. Thankfully, Red XIII and Cait SIth jumped by, getting him out of the situation and dropping him off onto another beam. The mighty summon braced itself upon a building, and flew back, only to have Sora jump from the rafter onto it's back, as he slashed many times across and back between its wings. It spund around in midair, forcing Sora to fall off, Cid grabbing his hand to keep him falling. "How you holding kid?" Cid asked bringing him back up on the beam.

"Good!" Sora said before they both chased after the summon.

The summon past again, Vincent going back and forth firing upon it as Yuffie began to run, ready to attack. Vincent stood upon a beam reloading before the beast reached him. He quickly jumped in the air just before the Soulz Buhamut broke the beam. He jumped on its arm, and then its shoulder, firing on it the entire time, the beast roaring. Yuffie was now running up a beam at ninety degrees before jumping off in a flip, throwing her large shuriken as it sliced across Buhamut's face Vincent fired upon it and King Mickey spun around the air, slashing at it with his keyblade. King Mickey was now holding onto the creature's jaw, holding on as he lost his balance. "Uh-oh," he said as he saw the beast ready a blast of energy.

Neku quickly sped in while firing a thunderbolt at the beast getting the King out of the situation as Namine and Kairi fired blasts of light together at the beast. The beast quickly turned to Namine with another blast. However, Roxas came from above, screaming as he slashed his keyblades across Buhamut's head, causing the blast to go astray and hit another structure.

Barret was below, shooting down approaching heartless when he saw the structure falling above him. There was nowhere to jump from where he was. He was trapped. He cried out as he saw it getting closer, only to grabbed out of the air and to be dropped to safety on another beam. He got up to see Cloud landing on a beam higher then himself, Sora dropping down next to him. " 'The hell you've been?" Barret asked.

"Let's do this Cloud!" Sora said, and the two jumped together into the sky.

They both descended upon the Soulz Buhamut, swords and keyblade clanging against the protective parts of the creatures face, the creature actually catching some of their blows with its teeth. At one point, it bounced them back onto another beam, their attacks not good enough alone. "Hey Sora, any ideas?"

Sora nodded, putting his hand on Cloud's shoulder. "DRIVE!"

In a quick burst of light, Cloud's energy joined Sora's in Fenrir Form. Sora's cloths resembled Clouds, fabric entirely on his left arm, but none on his right. His hair stood up more, one spike more prominent in his hair, Sora's eyes glowing like Cloud's did. In his hand was the Fenrir keyblade, a blue glowing around it. _Let me guide us,_ Cloud said telepathically. "Got it," Sora responded.

Sora jumped higher into the air then ever possible, the power of materia flowing through him as he slashed faster than ever before at the Soulz Buhamut. He slashed back and forth, swung around in the air, and brought a powerful blow from above, sending the Buhamut downwards. It crashed to the ground, crying out in pain as Sora flipped down onto a low beam, his stance breaking his fall, keyblade at arm's length.

The creature reared back and forth, a Mega Flare beginning to charge in its maw, causing the others to gasp. "That defiantly can't be good," Axel muttered.

The Soulz Buhamut began to fly upwards into the sky, the energy in its mouth growing as it ascended into the sky.

Kadaj rubbed his arm as he walked back away from the edge, Banirith looking on at the scene at what had just happened. "This is too much fun, sir! Any requests for the next act?"

Suddenly, Rufus Shinra stood from his wheelchair, his right hand sweeping away the linens that covered most of his body. It flew off into the breeze, a bandage wrapped around his head. In his left he held a capsule with biohazard tape around it. An edge of paper could be seen poking out of the box.

"Mother?" Kadaj said shaken.

"The Scroll!" Banirith said.

"A good son would have known," Rufus said, as he tossed the package off the building.

Kadaj looked in shock at what just happened, turned to look at Shinra, rage building within him as he threw his arm out to prepare magic, screaming.

Sora ran forward and leaped upwards on the beam, knowing he couldn't let the monster just get away. Three heartless jumped in front of him. He quickly balanced himself on a beam, and Cross Slashed them so they returned to the darkness, little hearts floating up. He used his combined strength with Cloud to jump higher. He saw Donald and Goofy above him, waiting. "Sora!" Donald cried out, to which Sora nodded.

Sora went down at the two, the two squished against each other. When Sora made impact on Goofy's shield with his feet, the two launched Sora in the air like a spring, both yelling with glee. As they went further up, Sora saw Barret above, his hand extended towards him. Barret grabbed Sora's free hand and threw him up towards the Soulz Buhamut. "Alleyoop!" He yelled as he lifted Sora past him.

Sora became level with the beast, and then sliced around at it, a blue wave of energy hitting the best, but one of its claws sent Sora back falling. However, Cid was waiting below as Sora fell feet first, Cid spun around causing Sora's feet to land on his staff, his swing propelling Sora back up. "Giddyap!"

Sora got even closer to Buhamut, using Braver to slice into the beast, but it bashed him back down with its wings, causing Sora to fall unbalanced. He turned to see a beam coming for his face, but he felt himself being stopped before hit, and spun around midair to see Neku floating next to him. "Stay on the beat!" Neku yelled, using his telekinesis to send Sora back up flying, but he had always to catch up.

Sora flew up more when Red XIII jumped in midair aside him, grabbing the back of his shirt with his teeth, and twisted his head around so he threw up Sora higher. "There you go!" Cait Sith said from Red XIII's back, looking like he was making an effort.

Shortly, Yuffie flipped out of nowhere, grabbed Sora by his feet, ready to life him higher. "Nrrrrrah!" Yuffie yelled as she lifted Sora up even higher to meet with the Soulz Buhamut again.

Sora slashed through the air, causing blue streaks of attacks to hit the Soulz Buhamut more, causing to cry in more pain, the ball of energy growing larger. Sora lost momentum again, just as Roxas appeared beside him. "You're not stopping now!" he said pushing him off.

Namine jumped as well, her keyblade drawing a explosion that sent them further up. "Good luck," she smiled as he flew higher.

King Mickey spun around, grabbing Sora by the back of his neck, and flung him up as well. "Let's do it!"

Once again, Sora met the summon, and landed upon its back, stabbing Fenrir into it. It roared even more, doing a barrel roll causing Sora to tumble downwards as it soared above the structure, the energy blast growing even mightier. However, Yami soared next to him, catching him on a breeze. "The wind at your back!" she yelled as a gust propelled him back upwards.

Axel jumped from above, caught Sora's hand. "AHHH!" he yelled throwing him up. "You're heavier than I thought."

Riku now appeared, grabbing Sora and flinging him in a swirl then up higher. "Stay true!"

But what surprised Sora, but not Cloud, was Kairi waiting closer to the top. Kairi jumped forward herself, and caught Sora's arm, and looked him in the eye. "Believe!" she said, the light around her arm, helping propel them further.

Sora saw Vincent above, but he knew with the momentum he had, they wouldn't make it. "Get ready!" Sora said in a more mature voice before he broke out of the Drive and ended up in front of Cloud, all his swords combined into one. "Have faith!" Sora yelled as he also threw Cloud up higher.

Sora free fell as he saw Cloud go higher, until he felt something grab him by his wrist. He was quickly jerked out of the fall as he looked to see a whip around his arm. He saw just above him a teenager with a hat slowly pulling him up. "You made it!" Sora said.

Vald smiled as he brought Sora back on the beam. "Wouldn't have missed it."

Vincent watched from above as the two ended the drive and Cloud came closer. He quickly jumped down and grabbed Cloud. "Fly!" he said, sending him up even higher.

Tifa waited for Cloud at the top, as she jumped down at him, their eyes meeting. "No giving up!" she said, giving Cloud the last boost.

Cloud now flew up, a blue glow surrounding around him like a comet falling through the atmosphere as he soared at the Soulz Buhamut, who now after all this time, came charging at Cloud, releasing the Mega Flare. Cloud flew straight at it, disappearing into the blast. "Is he alright?" Namine asked.

"He'll make it," Vincent said.

Cloud struggled through the blast, the barrier around him keeping the plasma away, but it was almost through. He was almost there. He just had to make it. Suddenly, everything went white around him. His eyes went wide as he saw Aerith floating down to him, arm extended. Her arm grabbed his, a green wave of magic going over their arms. "Ready?" she asked.

Quickly, Cloud burst through the other side of the Mega Flare and continued to fly at the Soulz Buhamut. He quickly spun around in the air avoiding the jaw of the summon as he landed on the back of the creature, and he ran down its entire back, dragging his sword the entire time, blue energy seeping through the creature till he jumped off at the end.

The Soulz Buhamut gave out one last cry before it crashed down below and faded away. "Alright!" Sora said pumping his fist in the air as he saw Cloud descend.

Cloud made his way down through the air till he landed upon a beam, turning to look at the others. Suddenly, a loud cry made him turn his head as he saw Kadaj, one in a silver cloak, and Rufus standing on a building under construction, Kadaj sending a blast of magic. Without a word, Cloud jumped downwards.

* * *

Barret, Red XIII, Cait Sith- These three once fought besides Cloud two years ago when facing Sephiroth to stop him from destroying their home. Barret uses a large gun that takes the place of his right hand, Red XIII being an animal that was genetically enhanced and able to speak, Cait Sith is a robot cat. The three first appeared in _Final Fantasy VII_ in 1997.

**Fenrir Form-** When Sora drives with Cloud Strife, he enters this form. All magical abilities and physical abilities are highly increased, but he can only stay in this form for a short time. He gains Cloud's clothing and wields the Fenrir keyblade.

Because of not updating, I have a gift of two LONG action-packed chapters. Consider it a day early self-birthday presents . (yay for another celebration of birth on the 8th!) Enjoy!

_Dezblade_


	63. 62: The Chase

Chapter 62: The Chase

Sora jumped down after Cloud, Kairi calling his name, but it was too late for him to change his mind. "Don't worry about him!" Cid said as he motioned waving his hands, the Shera coming closer to the group, rope ladders falling down towards them. "We can catch up with them no problem."

"We can't just let him go alone after him!" King Mickey said.

Vald turned to look at Vincent. "Hey Vincent, are you going to be using the vehicle much that got us here?"

Vincent eyed Valdamar, pulling out a set of keys. "Can you drive stick?"

"You kidding me?" Valdamar said as he caught the keys. "I'll catch up with you in a minute."

"Wait!"

Yami glidded next to Valdamar, and handed back to him the piece of the Royal Scroll. He went to grab it, but she pulled her hand back. "Name?"

He pulled off his hat and did a mock salute. "Valdamar Allen, here to stay for better or worse."

"Hmph," Yami said, a smirk on her face, handing him the scroll. "We've got to talk when you get back."

"As I expected," he said readjusting his hat, then quickly turning to Riku. "Hey, I could use another guy."

Riku nodded, and walked next to Valdamar, but Kairi ran up to them. "I'm coming with."

Valdamar went to object, but Yami grabbed his shoulder. "Let her go."

Riku nodded in agreement. Vald through his hands. "You win, but it might be cramped."

Kairi held up a yellow charm. "That's why I'm prepared."

Down below, Sora tired getting the motorcycle to work again and follow Cloud, but he just couldn't get it to go. Suddenly, Riku landed next to him, quickly moving as he caught Kairi. "Guys!" Sora said surprised.

"I'm driving," Riku said, moving Sora out of the way, and instantly starting it.

Sora just shook his head, and sat in the passenger car, Kairi getting behind Riku as they started to move the dented motorcycle where he had seen Cloud last, Valdamar running into an alley, and quickly pressing a button on the keys. Instantly, lights flashed up and a hood opened. Valdamar grinned. "Oh boy, this is going to be fun," as he quickly jumped in the vehicle.

Yami saw them leave as Valdamar go a different route. As she watched him walk off into the alley, she suddenly felt something nagging at her, almost pulling upon her. Darkness. It was clearly distinct too. "Yo, Yami!" Axel said being the last one left, still hanging on the ladder. "You just gonna stand there all day?"

Yami turned to look at Axel, her usual serious face replaced with a concerned one. "No. Go ahead. I have to take care of something."

Axel eyed her. "You sure? I don't think you are."

Yami sighed. "I'm sure."

Axel threw something at her, and she caught it. "Keep it," he said, and without another word quickly climbed up the ladder, and the Shera flew off.

She gazed upon the little trinket. It was a small red crystal. Nothing special, the crystal design wasn't even unique. It was a simple red, rounded crystal. Nevertheless, she pocketed the item as she felt the presence grow larger. "Stop hiding and come out. Last time you were unexpected, but I defiantly know you are here now."

A silver liquid form that had been under the beams began to go on top and come together to form Shade, the tail from her back looking even more deadly than it did back at the battle with the pirates. _We see that you have grown from our last encounter. Mainly because of the one named Riku. You have grown a bond with another of darkness, haven't you? _said the liquid being of darkness.

Yami pulled out her keyblade and faced the being, both now at eye level. "Stay away," Yami said, her voice trembled slightly on away.

The power of darkness from before completely had taken her off guard, but it's great power was still causing her to shake slightly. _You still tremble to our power? Ha! You havocked upon your 'friend' for his past, yet even when we get close, you break down as well._

"Think again," she said completely stop shaking and dashed forward, keyblade slicing at Shade before its arm became a black blade.

The being quickly danced the blade with Yami in the construction yard. Quickly using wing she lifted several broken beams and began hurling them at Shade. Shade just changed shape to avoid the objects, including one time just creating a large hole around the object as it continued walk forward. They met again together, this time Shade moving swiftly back and forth faster than ever and actually knocked out Yami's keyblade.

She dived into the air after it, a breeze of air bringing it back to her. She than saw Shade leap after her down the broken down construction area. Yami quickly threw her keyblade with a gust guiding it. However, it missed Shade by a long shot as Yami lost her balance and fell onto the rubble of the ground. Shade slashed onto the ground, but quickly reformed into her normal shape. She brought her blade tip up to Yami's neck, the blade shifting to become a bladed ring around her neck. _You can fight, I know that, but WE are much more powerful than you can imagine. We didn't even use the darkness to attack you._

Yami shook her head slightly. "All you are is darkness. That's all you are and ever will be."

_Because we know what the darkness contains. You know the darkness, but very rarely embrace it. Last time at Port Royale, you only fell from our darkness due to using as much darkness as possible before we arrived. Today was different. But today, you are not our main concern. So, tell us where the one with silver hair went._

Yami became confused. "Riku?"

_Yes and no. He was following after the one on the bike with silver hair as well. Where are they going?_

"I don't know everything, Shade. No let me go," she said moving her wrist slightly.

Unknown to Shade, Yami's keyblade was still in the sky above hacking away at a large upright beam. Her wrist brought a large gust that finally made the beam give way as it began to fall downwards right where Shade stood. _You are lying. You saw which way the one with silver hair was going. NOW TELL US!_ the last part having a blast of darkness actually only hit Yami's mind causing to cry out in surprise.

Only then did Shade hear the beam. It quickly moved its head ninety degrees up to see it falling. Yami took the moment to re-summon Dark Whisper in her hand so it was against the bottom of the bladed ring around her neck. She quickly pushed the ring up above her head as she rolled out of the way as the large group of beams fell upon Shade.

Yami breathed heavily, feeling a little blood on her neck as she quickly murmured a healing spell over her neck as she breathed heavily. Suddenly something quickly wrapped itself around her legs and lifted Yami off of her legs. She cried out as she was lifted into the air and rapidly moved back and forth through the air, completely shaking her around till she lost all sense of direction. Suddenly she was yanked downwards as she felt herself hanging upside down as the small but strong sliver of liquid began to expand ever long trapping her till the goo encased everything but her head as she shook around like she was in a cocoon.

The silver liquid below her began to rise up as Shade's form began to take shape, its tail now being the part trapping her. _Not being cooperative are you now? It doesn't matter. We don't need you conscious to get anything out of you._

The liquid then began to shake Yami violently, a wave darkness blasting her conscious with every shake. She cried out in pain as she summoned her own darkness to battle it, but Shade's won, causing Yami to lose consciousness.

Cloud chased Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo onto the highway under construction, a DO NOT ENTER sign flying by his face. He quickly dodged as he looked up as Yazoo shot at him. He swerved across the road, so he wouldn't be hit, and came around on the other side. Loz however came next to him, smashing his bike against Clouds so his was scraping the wall. Loz readied his weapon to hit Cloud, when the swordsman quickly reacted by opening the compartment with his swords, bouncing Loz bike off of him causing the heartless remnant to fall behind.

Cloud pulled out his combined sword as Yazoo cut in front of him, firing his gun. Cloud charged forward with the sword blocking the fire, as he and Yazoo closed on each other in combat. They spun around on the bikes, but Cloud managed to spin around him and began to advance on Kadaj, a black box underneath his arm. There was a break in the highway as Kadaj took the upper path, Cloud was about to follow, but Loz came up on his bike, jumping the air preparing to hit Cloud from above. Cloud saw this and managed to dodge it in time, but caused him to drive on the lower path, Yazoo and Loz in hot pursuit as they neared a tunnel.

Kadaj sighed in relief, but still was on his toes. Cloud had managed to do everything so far, and he wasn't going to let him get closer, not with Mother finally with him. However, a blast in the road ahead of him told him he wasn't alone. He turned around do see a beaten up motorcycle, three teenagers in it. He recognized the one with the brown spiky hair from when he and Cloud had tried to take the children back. All three had keyblades out, one firing darkness, one firing light, the one named Sora using fire spells.

Kadaj swerved as he avoided the blasts coming from them, weaving back and forth, nearly getting hit every time. He quickly flipped a switch on his bike which sent out a signal. Suddenly on an overpass, two portals opened up. Xidmun and Io both flew out of the portals riding upon heavily armed bikes. The jumped over Kadaj and headed at the three keyblade wielders, machine guns on the bikes opening fire.

"Hang on!" Riku yelled as swerved on the bike as much as he could, but Sora in the passenger car made it hard to maneuver as parts of the bike began to be pelted on by gunfire.

The Soulz passed by them, quickly turning around to advance upon them from behind. "Sora! Get on the back!" Kairi said, moving her feet.

"Kairi! No!" Sora yelled trying to grab for Kairi as she jumped off.

Kairi landed on the pavement on her feet and free hand, quickly standing up as the Soulz approached. She held up a barrier of light as Xidmun fired upon her, Io zooming ahead. As they pass, she turned around and pulled the charm out of her pocket. "Golden Chocobo!"

The charm shinned for a moment, as a squawking could be heard. Kairi turned to see the mighty Golden Chocobo flying towards her, landing on the pavement. It squawked as she petted it head. "Come on, we have to chase after those guys."

The Chocobo went lower so Kairi could get on its back, it then readied itself, and began to run at full force after those on the bikes. Sora was now on the back of the bike, as he hacked away the passenger car. The piece of metal fell off, and knocked into Io's bike, causing him to spin out and become stalled for a few seconds, Xidmun riding closer as he fired once more upon them. Sora brought up a Refletaga spell, deflected the bullets for a few moments as Riku continued to drive after Kadaj. However, Xidmun zoomed up next to them, a wrist blade out as he went to stab at them. Riku quickly moved Road to Dawn to catch the blade and push him back. Xidmun moved to the side, but zoomed at an angle and leapt up in the air, coming down at them, Riku just moved to the side, but he crashed into something on the left. Suddenly Xidmun appeared on his bike as he slashed at the side of the bike. The jump had been an illusion.

Riku jerked the bike around, Sora nearly falling off as he let off a lightning spell at Xidmun, which hit his bike causing him to swerve out of control. Riku felt the bike engine sputtering. "Are we alright Riku?" Sora asked as Io began to catch up.

"We can't be hit too much more," Riku said nervously looking behind him.

Io and Xidmun rode up side by side as they approached them, but Sora saw something gold colored approaching them. Xidmun turned just to see a beam of light come from the source hit his motorcycle causing him to skid and swerve around. Io fired blast of light back at the golden thing approaching. However, feathered wings came from its side as it rose up into the air. Kairi could now be seen riding upon the golden bird, as it cried out as Kairi threw her keyblade in a Strike Raid. Io swerved as the keyblade hit the concrete and flew back at Kairi as she caught it. Io swerved to catch up after Riku and Sora, who began to use freeze spells to slow him down. Kairi flew on the Chocobo and saw Kadaj getting further away, so she began firing light spells at him from above. Kadaj was swift however, and managed to dodge all of the hits. However, Io managed to catch up with Sora and Riku and stabbed his staff into the side of the motorcycle, and created a light blast.

The motorcycle cracked in half, sending the two swerving around on one wheel each. Kairi quickly stopped attacking Kadaj and nearly landed on the ground just barely flying. The Chocobo continued to flap its wings in a charge, the flapping wings propelling it faster. Kairi and Io soon reached each other, each blasting each other with light at the same time. The two lights clashed and caused the road underneath to melt instantly and an explosion knocked the two back away from each other, Sora and Riku getting up from off the road, quickly reading themselves.

Kairi jumped off on the ground as the Chocobo squawked, and Kairi rubbed its neck. "You did great out there."

The Chocobo nodded, and flew off, returning to where it had returned. Kairi turned, keyblade ready as Io got up from the trashed bike, tearing off his robe to reveal his stark white hair, pink eyes, and his black clothing, the moon shining brightly upon it. "Reveal yourself. I see no more purpose for illusions now."

Xidmun suddenly appeared next to him, unscathed. "Shame, I was having fun."

Riku scowled. "When are you going to stop playing games?"

"Games?" Xidmun said, extending his wrist blades. "I see it as using one's abilities to the upmost capability. You use the darkness and the light together, and I don't see you holding back. If you are, then you've just been as guilty. So, perhaps we should stop playing around and go full force. Would you like that?"

Suddenly, Sora found himself on the ground, crying out in pain. Riku was hunched over breathing hard as Xidmun held up his wrist blades up to Kairi's throat. "Do you still wish to face reality? Perhaps the fake one would be better for your younger minds?"

Io pointed his staff at Riku as he blasted away part of the concrete structure next to them, piece from the top crumbling off and falling down at him. Sora quickly got up, but Io spun his staff around hitting Sora in the gut, then quickly twirling it around to have it knock Sora back. "No!" Kairi said trying to run forward, but Xidmun held his wrist blades up closer to her throat.

Riku charged forward while avoiding the debris as he slashed at Io. The two parried each other's blows as they advanced upon each other, until Riku jumped high in the air, stabbing the road as dark flames went out in lines around in like a ripple. Io brought up a light shield, but the first wave dissipated his shield, the other two causing him to fall back. He however regained his balance standing next to Xidmun. "That's enough," he said out of breath as Sora slowly got up next to Riku, breathing heavily.

"Let her go!" Sora said.

"How about a trade? I think you know what we want," Xidmun said with a grin on his face.

Riku growled for a second, but suddenly stopped. "Fine! Have it your way," he said, pulling out a piece of the ancient parchment from his jacket.

"Riku!" Sora said.

"Let me handle this," Riku said, disarming his keyblade as he walked closer towards the two Seekers. Io began to approach, but Riku stopped. "You don't have Kairi, do you? Xidmun is it?"

Xidmun raised an eyebrow. "Alright, you're not dumb, I'll give you that dark one," he said as Io stepped back and he stepped forward with Kairi, wrist blades still at her neck.

They met three feet of one another. "Now if you please?" Xidmun said, one wrist blade withdrawing as he brought his left hand forward to grab the scroll.

Riku shook his head. "Your other arm too."

"No, you first."

"Same time?"

"Don't try to fool me with that old trick. I'm the one who creates illusions."

"Then prove what you're doing now isn't one."

"Look boy, if I were an illusion, I'd already have the piece of paper out of your hand. Now let's just get this over and be on our merry way, shall we?"

Riku looked at the Royal Scroll and Kairi. "Riku, don't do it," Kairi said.

Riku sighed. "All this over a piece of paper!" he said really loudly, almost yelling. "Don't you find this to be quite mad!"

Xidmun's left hand closed to a pointing finger. "You calm yourself down. If it weren't for you, this whole little clash between the two of us wouldn't be happening now would it now?"

"Oh, I think it still would be. You see, you're forgetting something!" Riku yelled even louder.

Sora then heard something. He had disregarded it earlier, but now it was much louder. He looked around confused, as did Io, his staff gripped in two hands. "What is that?" Xidmun said turning to look at the concrete wall. "Is that a-"

Suddenly, the concrete structure blasted open, debris flying as a giant black vehicle broke through the wall at Xidmun as Riku quickly moved and grabbed Kairi out of his grasp and leapt down out of the way. "-car?" Xidmun said looking up in horror.

The giant black vehicle came down on the ground, the front end hitting Xidmun as it hit the ground. It turned around and faced Io, engine revving up. Io faced the vehicle, not moving a muscle. The wheels screeched as the vehicle charged forward at Io, no sign of slowing down. Io then quickly disappeared in a portal, that car just missing him. The black vehicle swerved around to a stop as Xidmun got up shaky form the ground. "You…you little…I'll see to it myself…I take care of you…" he said before disappearing in a portal.

"Are you guys alright?" Sora asked jogging over to Riku and Kairi.

"Yeah, but what is that?" Kairi asked.

"A black…tank?" Sora guessed looking at it.

A hatch near the front of the vehicle opened a Valdamar popping his head out. "Well, looks I finally caught up to you guys."

"Yeah, you were a little late there," Riku said walking up to him.

"Wait, you knew he was coming in that!" Sora said.

"Why do think he was yelling?" Valdamar said. "Come on in. We've got to catch up with Cloud, right?"

Kadaj zoomed down the highway on the path as it went lower than the tunnel, passing underneath as a helicopter was parked at the exit of the tunnel. Reno and Rude stood there, both of them with bombs in their hands. "Hey, partner. This thing…got any bite to it?" Reno asked.

"Shinra technology at its finest," said Rude.

"Oh, so you made this."

"If anything, it's flashy."

"Oh, good."

"You love it. I know."

"Looks like today, we're clocking out early," Reno said turning to look down the tunnel exit.

Seconds later, Cloud passed between the two on his motorcycle and zoomed on. The two set the two bombs on the ground and climbed in the helicopter. They began to lift off as the countdown neared zero. The bike Yazoo and Loz came by the exit, just as the countdown reached zero.

A giant explosion of fire and fireworks went off at the exit of the cave, a wave of energy blasting as both Cloud and Kadaj were affected by the blast. Kadaj looked up to see Cloud's bike jumping off the higher road and come down where he was. They both readied their swords and clashed, upon each other as they saw that the road just ended just up the road. They both zoomed off the road, freefalling towards the remains of the Midgar. The two swiped their swords still on the bikes in the air. However, they each attacked at once. Kadaj's sword hit Cloud's left sleeve while Cloud's thrust sent his sword to break the container that Kadaj had been holding.

The two hit the ground, Kadaj managing to push Cloud off, as his arm was in pain. Kadaj drove off in the ruins as Cloud stopped and but the sword in the holders on the side of the bike. He slowly looked at his sleeve, and tore it off. His left arm was covered with the Geostigma, a ribbon tied around his bicep. He slowly breathed and drove on after Kadaj.

He found Kadaj in the place he wished least, Aerith's church. It seemed like the Remnant was crying to the package. _Jenova's head, _Cloud realized as he readied himself outside the church, reading his bike. He could see Kadaj through the crack of the doors, seething his rage. Cloud went forward, knocking the doors of the church down with the bike. As he came in, he saw one of the pillars falling down. He quickly skidded on his pike, missing the pillar, but a blast from above with Kadaj's magic flew him off his bike. Kadaj laughed with glee from above in the rafters, having driven up on the pillar before it completely fell. Cloud got up, pain in his left arm as Kadaj laughed even more, reading his arm in another blast.

However, water began up to pool from the floor, both Cloud and Kadaj stopping to look in surprise. The water began up high as it reached the rafters, it began to fall down like rain. Kadaj couldn't stand it for some reason as he quickly revved his bike and broke through part of the roof in escape. Cloud stood in the water, as a pale light began to go around his arm, healing the Geostigma. He looked upon the flower bed as he could see a familiar figure among the mist as a water droplets fell into the small body of water. "Let's go, Cloud," he heard Aerith say.

A minute later, Cloud drove out of the watery church among the ruins, following the path Kadaj had taken.

The four rode in the Batmobile, Valdamar behind the wheel as they speed on the highway, just seeing the explosion up ahead. "What do you think happened?" Kairi asked.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Sora said.

Suddenly, something hit the side of the vehicle, and nearly knocked them off track. The cried out in surprise. "What was that?" Riku asked.

"No clue," Valdamar said running the electronics. "This thing is driving on eight wheels and almost has tank armoring. It would have to be something mighty powerful to hit this."

Suddenly, the sides were hit more times as Vald enhanced the visuals on a screen when his face almost went white. "Oh no," he said.

Sora looked at the screen to see Banirith standing in the middle of the road, tentacles out at a great length, grabbing massive pieces of debris and flinging them. "Prepare yourselves!" Vald saidholding himself in his seat. "Hey Sora! That red button I told you about? The one not to push?"

"Yeah?" Sora said looking at a small red button near the controls.

"Push it."

Sora quickly pressed his thumb upon the button. Instantly, a rocket booster on the back of the vehicle went off, pushing the four teenagers to the back of their seats as they zoomed forward at top speed. Banirith stood on the road as he saw the vehicle increase speed dramatically. He quickly brought up his tentacles to build a minute wall in a few second, and put a barrier spell upon himself four times. The vehicle quickly broke through the wall and crashed into Banirith, but the wall and Barrier absorbed all the energy just causing him to bounce off above, his tentacles quickly grasping onto the roof of the vehicle. He flapped in the air current as it zoomed along the road, the end of it coming up ahead.

As they continued to move faster, Valdamar noticed the unfinished part of the road. "Hang on!" he yelled.

The vehicle flew off the road, the booster propelling them high into the air as the ramp lead into the ruins of the once metropolis that was Midgar. The four began to scream as the vehicle began to pitch down, the rocket fuel finally dying out as the fell downwards. However, Banirith was a step ahead as he used two tentacles to grab onto a damaged rooftop. Using his tentacles together, he took his two still holding onto the vehicle, and flipped it around in the air as he landed softly on the rooftop. The vehicle flipped around in the air until it came crashing through a building, tumbling around back and forth. Slowly, it flipped back onto its wheels, nearly over the edge ten stories high. The teenagers were tightly gripping the seats on the inside, all breathing deeply. Slowly, Valdamar laughed through his breath. "Well, that was interesting."

Suddenly, something crashed down on top of the vehicle. Banirith began to pound the tentacles upon the hood, the hands of the tentacles now resembling large sledges. Valdamar quickly pulled a switch upon the controls as an electrical current went around the outside of the car, shocking Banirith. The guider of the Seekers quickly leapt off the car, grabbed a structure support of the building and threw it at the them, moving the vehicle forward.

Balance now thrown off, the vehicle began to lurch forward as they could see the ground facing them. "Great," Riku said sarcastically as they pitched forward.

They began to tumble in the air as Valdamar began to throw switches. "Vincent is going to be so pissed," he said quietly to himself. "Hold onto your seats!"

Before they could ask, Valdamar pulled three switches. The roof opened as the three were thrown out through ejection seats, parachutes opening up for them as they sat above watching the massive vehicle fall down. It crashed to the ground with a sickening crunch upon rubble, tires still spinning slightly. "Valdamar!" Sora yelled.

The keyblade master turned to see Banirith on the edge of the building looking down at the vehicle. Then Sora heard a sound. He looked down to see the rocket booster give a final blast, flipping the car over so it was back on its wheels. Valdamar on the inside felt his seat move to the side, and then lowered him so he was almost laying down further up in the vehicle, entering an attacking mode. Form outside, a portion of the roof came up revealing rockets. They began to fire at the building where Banirith stood. Banirith disappeared from view in the fire and smoke from the explosions as Valdamar continued to fire upon him. Suddenly, Banirith flew out of the smoke, two of his tentacles transforming into massive wings, the other two swatting away rockets that approached as well as turning into massive shields. "He's coming this way!" Kairi said as the three in parachute chairs nearly reached the ground.

"Jump!" Riku said quickly freeing himself from the seat belt and jumping down.

Sora and Kairi followed, Banirith just barely missing them as they fell to the ground rolling to absorb the fall. Riku began to fire darkness at Banirith, but he just twirled around in the air dodging the attacks. Suddenly, the two free tentacles began to change into cannons as they fired blasts of plasma upon the three. "Run!" Sora said as one nearly hit him as the three teenagers went for cover.

Vald cursed at himself as he saw Banirith attack the others as he worked to get the main engine working again. Finally it purred to life as he grabbed the controls. "Alright, take this!" he yelled within the vehicle, as it began to move forward.

The vehicle bounced over the debris as if it were nothing. It moved towards where Sora, Riku, and Kairi were, the three firing back spells and Sora throwing his keyblade in Strike Raids back at Banirith as he continued to fire blasts and lasers at them. Vald then drove over a mound of rocks leaping up in the air and ramming into Banirith catching him on the hood. Vald from underneath saw Banirith's shocked expression on a screen as he pressed a button. The final rocket took off and hit Banirith head on, only having time to quickly use a healing spell as it hit him.

The explosion may have hit Banirith head on, but it also affected the vehicle as it crashed to the ground hood first and falling back on its wheels completely wrecked. The three stopped and looked at the scene, flames dancing on top of the vehicle. "Vald!" Riku yelled at the wreck.

A small crackle came from the vehicle. "Yeah, I'm fine," the teen said over a small speaker.

Suddenly, a silver portal opened up in front of them, Banirith stepping out. "I must say, you are dilligant in trying to defy us. Perhaps I have learned something from you. That numbers are your strength, as well as your teamwork. But today, the end shall be the same."

Suddenly, a golden waves of energy wrapped around Banirith as a pure silver cycle appeared in front of him heavily armed. He immediately got on, and drove off. "What does that mean?" Kairi asked.

"It means he's following Kadaj," Riku said. "He had something with him, and there was paper sticking out of it. I saw it flapping in the wind when we were chasing him. "

"So Kadaj has the Royal Scroll?" Sora said.

"He might not know it, but yes," Riku said.

The car began to shift slightly, and opening coming on the right side as the teenagers stepped back. Suddenly, the entire right side blasted off revealing Valdamar sitting on a bike made of tires from the car, a thin but complicated frame with slightly armed. "Get away, it's gonna blow!" he yelled as he zoomed away from what was left of the vehicle.

He moved out of the way on the Batpod as Sora, Riku, and Kairi ran out of the way and jumped over a large pile of rubble before the remains of the vehicle self-destructed. Valdamar stook his foot out to keep the balance of the bike up as he looked at the fire remains. "I really hope Vincent doesn't kill me for that."

"So, what now?" Sora asked.

Vald looked at the bike. "We've got to catch up with him, and I only got room for one."

"I'm going with," Sora said approaching the bike.

"Sora! Are you sure?" Kairi asked.

Sora turned to look at Kairi and nodded. "Don't worry Kai! Together we've got it under control."

"Hmph. You would," Riku said with a slight smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Riku gave a small laugh. "Nothing. Go on ahead."

Sora slowly got on the back of the bike as Vladamar revved up the engine, but suddenly stopped. "Wait! Kairi!"

"Huh?"

"Here, I forgot to give this back to you," he said tossing his messenger bag. "You asked me to hold onto it for you a little back. Just hold onto my bag for me, will you?"

Kairi caught it and nodded. Valdamar quickly readjusted the controls, and then sped off at a high speed with Sora chasing after Banirith. Kairi slowly opened the bag and saw the Papou fruit inside, still untouched. She touched and remembered how Vald had found on that one island and asked for him to save it. She also remembered why she asked to keep it. She closed the messenger bag and turned to Riku. "I guess we walk from here?"

Riku shrugged. "Hopefully we'll spot the airship around here soon," he said beginning to jog in the way Sora and Valdamar had gone.

Kairi put the messenger bag over her shoulder and began to jog after Riku.

The two zoomed through the ruins, Banirith's cycle just coming into view. Valdamar began to fire upon Banirith from behind using small guns on the front of the pod. Banirith felt his bike being hit and quickly brought his tentacles up behind him as shields as a screen in front of him displayed what was happening behind him. He flipped a switch labeled AUTO FIRE and continued to watch in front of him, looking for signs of Kadaj and where he had gone.

The guns and blades upon the cycle began to shift from their original position to facing backwards at Sora and Valdamar. "Oh crap," Valdamar said under his breath. "I need help Sora!"

Sora pointed Ultima Weapon over Valdamar's shoulder and began to fire blasts of fire at the weapons on Banirith's cycle, ignoring him due to the shielding his tentacle shields were giving. A few weapons were knocked off before they finished shifting, but most had already begun to get in place. Quickly, Valdamar pressed a button sending a flare to launch at high speeds and become stuck in the nozzle of one of the larger guns. The small arms began to open fire, Valdamar swerving very quickly back and forth, the pod being a lot more movable than the other motorcycle.

At one point, Banirith jumped over a ramp of debris dropping below. As he did so, one of the other large guns fired off, explosive rounds that began to hit the structures around Sora and Vald. Valdamar quickly went sideways as Sora cast Reflect Spells nonstop as the pod frame began to spin sideways, the two hardly being affected by the movement. Soon however, they went over the ramp following as they spun around in the air so they faced Banirith from above. Quickly, Sora changed his grip on keyblade like he had a javelin, and threw the keyblade down from above. The keyblade flew down, its aim true as it crashed into the front of Banirith's cycle as the main gun fired with the flare stuck inside.

The combination of the keyblade hitting the main engine and the internal explosion of the gun caused both ends of the cycle to malfunction. Banirith looked around surprised as he began to spin out in a circle. He tried to reach for Ultima Weapon, but it disappeared as Sora re-summoned his weapon. Banirith glared at the two as he jumped up from the ruined cycle as the two landed and began to charge at him. "On three," Vald said, Sora reading his keyblade again.

Banirith stood in place, his tentacles cracking his knuckles, the sound equivalent to foundation cracking. "One…Two…" Valdamar said as they got closer, his expression in clear view, one of disappointment.

Banirith quickly brought his tentacles in front of him, the four of them forming a ramp that went straight up. It was too late for them to turn, so Valdamar took to the ramp seeing no other choice. "Two and a half," Valdamar said through gritting his teeth as they flew straight up. "And THREE!" he yelled as they began to fall again.

The two turned around from where their seats where as Valdamar threw something he had taken off of the Batmobile before leaving it behind. A hunk of metal fell down at Banirith, who quickly jumped out of the way. He looked at the metal, and immediately saw it wasn't dangerous, just a large piece of magnesium. They fell in the pod back wheel first as Vald quickly put in reverse, causing them to fall on both wheels with a big bump, before charging past Banirith, Sora casting Blizzard spells at Banirith. Banirith just quickly sent fireballs from his tentacles so it melted the ice before reaching him. Valdamar drove up to a ruined building, running up the edge of the building, than quickly flipping it around so it fell back facing Banirith again and continued to drive, Sora readying a large Blizzard spell.

Banirith saw this coming, and began to charge a large fire spell, all four tentacles creating a massive ball of fire between them, readying himself. "Make sure you're close enough," Sora reminded Vald.

"On it," Valdamar said, surprised Sora realized what the plan was halfway explaining it to him, only for him to say he did a smaller version of this in a experiment in chemistry class back when he was in school.

They zoomed just past Banirith and where the piece of magnesium sat next to him. Sora blasted the Blizzard spell at Banirith just as the guider of the Seekers released the massive fire ball. The Blizzard spell was quickly evaporated by the fireball, which continued to travel coming in contact with the hunk of magnesium. A simple chemical reaction started as the flame came in contact with the metal, igniting it. Because of the reaction, a blinding light went in all directions surprising him as he threw up his arms in front of his face from the blinding light as Valdamar drove forward avoiding the fireball till he knew for sure they were clear, and then swerved around back towards he thought the Soulz was. The blinding light began to die down as he quickly saw a shadow, and threw out his whip at the shadow of the figure.

The whip around the legs and knocked it down to the ground as it began to become dragged by the pod as it zoomed on. Soon, Valdamar's eyes readjusted to see the ruins around him, and turned to see Banirith being dragged behind by his feet, Sora firing lightning spells at him.

A few hit the Seeker, causing to give yelps as he was hit. Then out of nowhere, Banirith roared shaking Valdamar to his core, having never heard Banirith do such a thing as the four tentacles sprang out in an instant digging into the ground and stopping him, and pulling upon the bike with so much force with his legs he yanked the pod backwards in the air causing to smash into the side of a building, Valdamar falling out before it did so, erupting in a fireball.

They fell down rolling, getting bruises and scrapes as they did so, the two quickly getting to their feet, Valdamar feeling unprepared for his whip sat at Banirith's feet. "Sora, we may just be in trouble?"

"Why? We've gotten this far."

"Because in the past year I've known Banirith, I'll explain later…he's never been angry. And he sure looks pissed now."

* * *

Writing from the script and doing action sequences at the same time is harder than it sounds. The next update might be a while as it has been really busy lately, and my schedule has changed a bit. I'll try to get updates as often as I can. Plus the next chapter will be a really long one, and I'm not even at the end of the fic yet. (Wow, this might go longer than I expected.)

This chapter had many references to other things, so I didn't add any extra comments on where I got them from.

Tell me what you think of the long chapters. Your feedback helps me improve my writing!

_Dezblade_


	64. 63: Confrontations

Chapter 63: Confrontations

Cloud walked away from his bike, all swords save for one combined in one hand, the last on his back as he approached Kadaj on the cliff above him. The Soulz remnant smirked. "Brother, I'm with her at last."

"So what's going to happen now?"

Kadaj looked at the box that carried Jenova's head. "Mother's going to tell me."

"I guess a Remnant wouldn't really know."

Kadaj looked down. "So what if I'm a puppet?" A magical energy began to gather in his free hand as Cloud readied himself. "Once upon a time…you were too!"

Magical energies flew through the air at Cloud who jumped high to avoid the blast. Kadaj withdrew his weapon, and jumped with a much faster speed. The two met in midair and clashed their blades till they landed on more even ground, Kadaj's moves swift and agile as Cloud's were more focused and strong swings. A few clashes later, they met each other, blades close to one another. Kadaj than breathed as he noticed an airship coming right up next to them.

It flew low, sending up wind all around them. Cloud pushed Kadaj off as he jumped back, Cloud leaping after him as their dance with their blades continued. Inside the airship, Yuffie leaned close to the window. "Cloud! I brought you materia!" she said as if the swordsman could hear her. Suddenly the airship lurched as it moved around, mostly everyone losing their balance. "Hey, watch it!" she shouted at Cid at the controls.

"Yo Cid! Park this turkey!" Barret yelled as well.

"Shaddap! You want off? Then jump! Get off my back!"

"He can handle this alone," Vincent said.

Yuffie turned around confused. "Huh?"

Axel was looking out the window, his hands behind his back, slightly turned at Vincent. "Hey, I can tell spiky can take care of himself, but Kadaj seems pretty formidable."

"Kadaj is a Remnant of Sephiroth. Think of him as a sort of larval form."

"Larva?" Donald asked.

"Like a bug?" Goofy said scratching his head.

"You mean…he's an insect?" Yuffie said very confused.

"Lassie, shut your gob," Ciat Sith said on top of Red XIII, whom gave the robotic creation an annoyed look.

"Vincent, does he know about Kadaj?" King Mickey asked.

"One would think."

"Then you're right," Tifa said turning to look back outside. "it's his fight now."

"Why? I don't get it! Why can't we help out!" Yuffie said, too energetic, different than Donald and Goofy had remembered her.

"This is man talk," Cid said.

"Sexist! Sex-iiiiiiiist!" Yuffie said to which Cait Sith covered his ears as Neku turned up the music on his headphones.

Barret looked out the window as Cloud's sword was knocked out of his grasp, pulling out his spare to parry a blow. "The men don't get it either."

"Two years ago," Tifa stared, getting everyone's attention. "think of the strength we had when we fought that last battle. It's only been a couple of years, but already that feeling is gone. But Cloud, I think he's found it again."

Barret grunted. "He's got ten minutes."

"Never changes, does he?" Roxas said.

Tifa smiled. "Cloud is Cloud."

"Hey guys!" Namine quickly said, catching the groups attention as she sat at a monitor. "Bad news," she said quickly pulling up images using the computer. She had found that the motorcycle Sora, Riku, and Kairi was on was destroyed, as well as the vehicle that Valdamar had taken. "Where are they?" Roxas asked.

"I don't know."

Neku closed his eyes and concentrated, searching with his find for Sora, Riku, Kairi, Valdamar, and Yami. "I sense…" he said through concentration, "Sora and Valdamar are south of here…they're in pursuit of Banirith. Riku and Kairi are walking southeast of here following where they last saw Sora and Vald go off …"

Suddenly, Neku's eyes bolted open as he felt himself being propelled backwards from an invisible force as he ran into the wall of the ship and fell to the ground. King Mickey and Donald made it to him first. "Neku! Are you alright?" Donald asked.

Neku shook slightly. "It's Yami…she's unconscious…but not. Then I heard something. That dark being. It must have blasted me through telekenisis.

Axel turned around to look at Neku eye wide open. "Where?"

Neku thought for a moment. "I felt Yami moving quickly, towards this way. I'm not sure where."

"You said Riku and Kairi were southwest of here, right?" Axel said not waiting for an answer. "Cid! We've got to move fast and find the others otherwise we could run into a lot of trouble fast!"

Cid nodded. "Let's go!" he yelled lurching the ship as it swung by Cloud a last time as he retrieved his sword that was knocked away earlier as he continued to go after Kadaj.

Cloud and Kadaj met together in the air, blades clashing as they continued to come up close to one another. They landed on a roof, spinning around as Kadaj made great bounds around Cloud, but they were still matched. Their blades became locked together, the two breathing deeply, staring at one another. They both pushed back on each other, jumping back. They stared at each other for a moment, before Kadaj began to run forward into a mighty jump. Cloud quickly took his backup sword and combined it with the rest, twirling the completely combined sword above his head. Magic gathered around the mighty weapon as Kadaj came hurling down in a battle cry. Cloud aimed, and swung quickly, hitting Kadaj as it sent the Remnant flying, his two bladed katana flying into the wreckage.

Kadaj fell, before grasping onto a ledge with his hand weekly. He looked down to see his weapon falling, only to look up to see Cloud standing right above him. Kadaj made a quick movement, to which Cloud swept his sword, only to see it was the container that Kadaj had thrown up in the air as it started to open, a small amount liquid falling out of it.

In a second, Kadaj jumped after the container and held it to his chest. He let the package fall as he looked at Cloud with odd eyes. "My Reunion…Bet you're dying to watch."

Cloud quickly jumped after him, but it had already began. The DNA leftover from Jenova began to fuse with remnant as clenched his eyes in pain. The remnant slowed to the ground feet first, already changing. Cloud went down sword first, but it met with something in a clang as a long burst of silver hair flowed in the air as a long blade emerged from nowhere. "Good to see you…Cloud" said Sephiroth.

Cloud's eye went wide in surprise just before he was repelled back high into the air by his nemisis. He landed on one of the buildings as Sephiroth landed gracefully nearby. "Your geostigma's gone." Cloud didn't answer. "That's too bad."

"Sephiroth, what do you want?"

"The last thoughts of Geostigma's dead. Those Remnants will join the Lifestream and girdle the planet…choking it, corroding it…What I want Cloud…is to sail the darkness of the cosmos with this planet as my vessel…Just as my mother did long ago."

And with a flick of the One Winged Angel's wrist, the sky imediattly became dark, storm clouds everywhere as darkness and heartless began to pour from the heavens. Cloud flinched at the sight he was seeing. It was horrible. "Then one day we'll find a new planet, and on its soil we'll create a shining new future."

"What about this planet?" Cloud asked, sword ready as he stared down at the reincarnation.

"Well…that's up to you, Cloud."

The two stared at each other for a second, before both charging at each other, swords clashing.

Riku and Kairi walked further among the ruins when Riku stopped for a moment. He could feel a great force of darkness nearing from the center of the ruined city and also from behind them. He looked around back and forth, keyblade ready. Kairi quickly followed suit. "What's wrong?"

"I smell trouble. Lots of it," he said.

Suddenly, the wind picked up around them faster than anything before. Piece of rubble flew up around them as clouds above began to darken. The two held up their keyblades in front of their eyes front of their faces, squinting as the air rushed around them. The darkness became thicker until the two were entrapped by a vortex of darkness, piece of rubble and buildings flying along the walls. The two looked around, seeing no escape from their situation. Riku suddenly recognized the dark presence he felt. "Shade," he muttered.

_What? Glad to see us again, are you? _came the telepathic voice as Shade began to form in front of them. The liquid being of darkness seemed larger than before, perhaps standing at eight feet. The reptilian like tail had now become two that moved back and forth freely in different directions. Its right hand a large claw while the left held the dark keyblade, a dark aura venting from it. Its red eye seemed to flicker like a bonfire sending shivers down the two's spines. "What do you want?" Riku asked.

_Us? Want? We're surprised you haven't found out by now._

"I told you before, I'm not like you!"

_You really are thick. We're not after you, although you make such a great addition to us. No, you are not the goal for which we seek._

"Than what are you after?" Kairi asked.

Shade brought up its clawed hand catching a piece of ruble as it flew by, and crushed it to dust in its claws. _Revenge. For you see, we were not always like this. Once we never belonged to the darkness. We were free like you once were, but-_

Shade began to twitch its head as it kept repeating "but" Riku and Kairi giving each other a glance. Suddenly Shade snapped back its head in a moan that was physically heard, but sounded different than Shade normal did. _We did not want to do that._

"What?" Riku said confused.

"Help!" came a voice from Shade to which both Riku and Kairi recognized.

"Yami?" Kairi said.

A rumbling noise came from Shade as it oozed up into the vortex, swirling up till it was above in the air as it melt away to reveal Yami bound by parts of the liquid darkness. She struggled against the bonds as the vortex around them began to calm down, but a large portion of the liquid covered her scalp as she immediately stopped struggling and went unconscious, the vortex picking up again back to what it was before.

"Let her go!" Riku said running forward, Kairi following.

Before they could even get close, Shade dropped from a piece flying debris, keyblade almost hitting Riku as Road to Dawn came up upon instinct. A maw emerged from the reptilian like Shade full of liquid teeth and a red tongue the same color as its eyes hissing at him. Riku pushed back at Shade, but one of its tails swept around and knocked Riku off his feet backwards. Shade than leapt forward, more animal movement than human as its claw arm held Riku down as the other raised the dark keyblade up. However, a beam of light blasted Shade sending it back off Riku into the vortex surrounding them as a screech echoed through their minds. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Riku said as Kairi helped him up.

_Your light is strong. But the darkness can swallow your light easily._

The cortex grew more intense as Yami twitched above them. Suddenly gusts of wind picked the two off their feet as they found themselves twirling around in the vortex, concrete ruins spinning around with them as they screamed in surprise. Riku looked at Yami above in the center as the strands of liquid darkness held her. "Shade's taking Yami's power!" he yelled as loud as he could. "We've got to get her free!"

As Riku spun around the dark vortex, he quickly saw the shape of Shade just before it smacked into him as they flew into a large piece of concrete, the force breaking it. They flew further as Riku swung his keyblade around as Shade held his arms back with its hands. They tumbled in the vortex as Riku managed to grab Shade and push the being back, the two landing with their feet on a large concrete object as it moved around the vortex, more ruins zipping by. Both readied their weapons as they slowly circled on the slab. _You just never quit, do you? You're just like her, aren't you?_

"You never quit either," Riku said not down his guard. "And I don't even know what you're after."

_What WE'RE after. We seek something so precious that both of us are the only ones that need to seek for this precious prize._

"What are you talking about? You want the Royal Scroll as well?"

_You're thick. We weren't referring to YOU. We were referring to part of US._

"Well whatever it is. It probably can't mean anything good coming from you," Riku said, as he ran forward.

The two met with their keyblades with a sharp clang. Riku quickly stepped back and held his keyblade in a block as Shade hit his. He instantly bushed the liquid dark being off of him and jumped spinning around slashing as Shade's torso area. He flew through the air before he landed on a different slab of concrete. Shade hissed again before pouncing up at Riku. Riku launched off the concrete and zoomed forward as the two met head on. Riku swung, but missed while Shade hit the back end of keyblade against Riku's back as he went past. He cried out as he fell downwards. He saw the ground rushing at him as he tore open a portal of darkness before he hit the ground and fell out from a portal going back up as he safely rolled to the ground. He looked high up into the swirling vortex to see Kairi clutching part of a large stature of sorts as it swung around the area Yami was being held.

Carefully a few orbits around her, Kairi swung at one of the tendrils that held her there. Occasionally, one would break, but there were still many that somehow kept her held up in the air. "Kairi!" Riku shouted as he saw Shade advance Kairi.

Kairi looked down, trying to hold tight to the structure and to keep herself from getting sick, as she saw Shade bouncing off of debris towards her and Yami. "AURA!" she shouted as she released a beam of light down.

The beam missed Shade as the being dodged the attack, losing its acceleration as it quickly grasped onto another object going by. _Don't try us, princess._

Kairi fired more rays of light, each one not hitting Shade as she got closer. Riku opened up a portal in front of him as he concentrated to open one near Yami. "Come on Kairi," he murmured, trying to keep his concentration, sweat pouring from his brow.

Shade was almost upon Kairi where Kairi missed another blast of light, this one hitting the main appendage that held onto Yami's head. Yami immediately came back to consciousness screaming as Shade stopped in midair, frozen in its place in the center of the dying down vortex facing Kairi. _You dared…YOU DARED!_

Shade moved just as Riku did through the portal, Shade opening its reptilian like jaw as Riku zoomed through the portal. He was off though, he wouldn't make it. He didn't see that Kairi had planned this. Destiny Place was completely covered in light as she held it in front of her. "AUORAGA!" she shouted as multiple beams of light erupted from the keyblade covering Shade in a veil of light.

Riku was blinded for all he could hear was the roar of the light along with the screams of Shade and Yami. Riku kept his eyes clenched as he realized that the wind of the vortex was whipping at him like it was before. He wasn't falling either. He slowly began to open his eyes and gasped. The dark vortex was gone, rubble still falling onto the ground below with massive crashes. He was just floating in the air, suspended, the sky dark and brooding, looking like the apocalypse was happening, save for the are they floated in as the dark clouds could not reach near them. Yami was near him, suspended upon her back, taking ragged large breaths, eyes closed.

Kairi floated in front of them, a yellow aura slightly glowing around her as she held her free hand out at Riku and Yami. He looked around letting his limbs relax, dismissing Road to Dawn as he looked around. The three of them were just suspended high into the air. "How…" Riku said looking around, lost for words.

Kairi gave a smile. "Namine told me as one of Princess of Heart, my heart has light like no other. If in the right way, I can use the light to advantage."

Before Riku could respond, he heard a familiar sound as looked up to see Cid's airship approaching them as a door upon the side revealed itself, Neku and Axel standing at the entrance. "What the heck is going on?" Axel as Kairi guided the three into the ship.

As soon as they were all in, Kairi's aura dimed out and the three found themselves on something solid lightly. "You were doing that?" Neku asked. "I've not even been able to do that telekinetically."

Yami's eyes were still closed as she breathed ruggedly, Axel bringing out a Hi-Potion and placing it in her hand. "Hey. You need this," Axel said.

Yami slightly opened her eyes. She slowly sat up and brought it up to her lips, slowly drinking the potion. Almost everyone else came down to see how they were doing. "You alright?" King Mickey asked.

Riku sat up and scratched his head. "Yeah, I guess."

"What happened?" Donald asked.

Kairi quickly explained what happened. "When I used the last beam of light, Shade was effected greatly by the blast before almost disappearing like smoke fading away. And that's when I realized I had entered some kind of form that kept us up in the air."

"So Shade's gone?" Roxas asked.

"You said like smoke?" said Yami suddenly stopping drinking the Hi-Potion.

Kairi nodded, causing Yami to yell in frustration, throwing the Hi-Potion against the wall causing it break open and spill on the floor. "Shade's not gone. You may have harmed her, but she's still there."

"Shade is a she?" Neku asked.

"Shade used to be a she," Axel said looking out a window.

Riku stood up looking at Axel. "What? What do you know about Shade?"

Axel looked over his shoulder at Riku. His gaze drifted between Riku and Yami. He than briskly walked to leave the room. "Not time for Q & A. We still have to find Sora and Valdamar," he said quickly going up a flight of stairs leading back to the bridge of the ship.

"I tried to be civil with you," Banirith said stepping towards them, the sky beginning to grow fowl. "I tried to solve matters peacefully. I was even thinking about creating a bargain. But what do you do for this kindness? In the end you light me ablaze, drag me through ruins and proceed to attack me during then. Have you no sense of equivalence?"

Sora and Vald stood there, waiting as one Banirith's tentacles picked up Valdamar's whip. Another grabbed another section and snapped the whip in half. "You have lost my patience. So you will face me now and then perhaps I will accept you apologies."

The other two arms grabbed a chunk of concrete from behind him and lifted it high above him. "Watch out!" Sora shouted as Banirith chucked the slab of concrete.

The two jumped to the side dodging the concrete as it slammed into the ground. Sora began to run forward, rolling down and back onto his feet avoiding a lightning bolt that emerged from one of the tentacles. Valdamar climbed up a pile of concrete, stumbling upwards as Sora held up Ultima Weapon is defense from one of Banirith's tentacles in the form of a sword that went for his head. Instead of pushing back, Sora stepped backwards and spun around as the sword appendage moved forward from still applying pressure as Sora sliced through the tentacle. The cut off portion of the tentacle melted onto the ground as a liquid as Sora ran forward to get closer to Banirith. Banirith used one of his tentacles to sweep across the ground and knock Sora off of his feet before using the other two grab Sora by his arms and held him up in the air.

"Think you can stop me, can you?" Banirith said, staring as Sora, his tone of nearly monotone as the third tentacle reached down onto the ground.

Sora looked out of the corner of his eye and gasped. The liquid goo that was once Banirith's arm was moving across the ground till it reached the third tentacle which seemed to absorb it as it began to grow larger. Suddenly, the one larger tentacle burst in two, bringing it back to four total. "This unique ability I helps me when those who make the unfortunate decision to oppose me think they can have the upper hand. But tell me chosen one of the keyblade, why are you after the Royal Scroll? Yes, we both seek to bring back the pieces of this, but why oppose each other? Just because we don't see eye to eye doesn't mean-"

Banirith's speech stopped as he went wide eyed as he heard a slicing sound. Valdamar had jumped from the pile above and fell down sword slicing through the base of the tentacles from Banirith's back. All four fell to the ground, Sora falling on his back as Valdamar tried to get back on his feet, his body still hurting from the fall. Banirith spun around fired a blast of fire at Valdamar causing the teen to roll away. Sora quickly got up and went after Banirith, swinging his keyblade. Banirith side stepped away from the blade before grabbing it, and twisting it out of Sora's grasp before kicking him in the chest sending Sora to the ground. He held up the keyblade up to its master's throat. "Well," the Guider of the Seekers said as his tentacles began to reform, "where were we? Ah yes. What could you, the Keyblade master ever want with the Royal Scroll anyways. Perhaps we are looking for the same goal anyways."

"You want Kingdom Hearts. I won't let you do that."

"But just because I want access to Kingdom Hearts doesn't make me necessarily hungry for power, does it? What I want to do is rid of such a thing. Rid the darkness of all worlds and stars. Make it all good again. Isn't that what you want, Sora?"

"You're forgetting something," Valdamar said coming up from the side before he took an Elixir and revived his stamina. "You can't have light without a shadow. Say you one did find some way of finding how to rid of all darkness. Than it would be pure light, right? Doing that, you have just created a paradox. 100% light, which will than cause 100% darkness."

Sora nodded at Banirith. "Both light and darkness are eternal. We just have to make sure that one doesn't completely destroy the other."

"It's all about balance, Banirith," Vald said raising his sword at Banirith who still held onto Sora's keyblade. "Now if you would kindly move away from _my_ friend."

Banirith looked at Valdamar, a small smirk on his face. "Oh. And is Yami still your friend?"

Valdamar immediately swung his sword at Banirith who brought up Sora's keyblade to block the attack. As soon as he did, Sora held out his hand. Ultima Weapon disappeared from Banirith's grasp and back into Sora's as Valdamar moved Banisher into a thrust.

Banirith's eyes went wide as he stumbled backwards. The tentacles that were about finish forming began to fade away as Sora got up and stood up next to Valdamar staring in horror. Golden soulz blood poured from Banirith's wound, Banisher still in his chest. He looked up at Valdamar. "A…Allen…you really…I wouldn't…"

Valdamar walked up to Banirith. He then brought his leg up in a kick hitting Banirith's chin sending Banirith down upon the ground as he pulled out his sword. Banirith lay gasping upon the ground as he and the golden blood began to slowly dissolve in golden sparks. Sora just stared at Valdamar as he stepped back towards Sora, throwing his sword down on the ground in disgust. "Of course he would, that monster," Vald muttered under his breath as he tore off his fedora and pulled at his hair as he sat on a rock.

Sora just starred at Valdamar. "Vald…what just…"

Valdamar Allen held up a hand stopping Sora. "That wasn't Banirith. An illusion. Another one of Xidmun's tricks. It was Banirith before, but at one point the illusion of him replaced him and we didn't see the real Banirith leave. It was clear he was an illusion the moment I was able to stab him. Banirith would have deflected it."

"Indeed."

Sora turned, keyblade ready to see Xidmun stepping out from a ruined building, the dark sky growing greater every second as more thunder rumbled in the distance. "It seems our presence is no longer required here and he was needed elsewhere."

Vald shoved his hat back on, picking up his sword and walked up next to Sora. "What do you want? You still wouldn't be here unless you wanted something."

"No more illusions!" Sora said.

Xidmun held his hand in front of him with a small cackle. "Alright keyblader, no illusions this time. I'm right here to give you a warning."

"About what?" Sora asked.

"About who you choose as friends. You've made a few mistakes on who to take with you as friends. Take Vald here."

"He knows," Vald said abruptly.

Xidmun's eyebrows rose. "Really? Is that so?"

Vald nodded. "He knows I was once Allen."

"Oh, but did you happen to tell him about that little experiment of yours? That one that's running around now not being able to control itself?"

Vald's grip tightened on his sword. Xidmun smirked. "Oh, I'm going to guess no then. Well, I must be off. Things to do, piece of parchment to find, you know the drill," Xidmun said beginning to turn around. He began to walk off before he stopped. "And you'd better look into that Shade. I hear it just ran into your _real _friends."

"What?" Sora said just as Xidmun disappeared in portal. "What are you talking about?"

A bolt of lightning form the dark sky stuck nearby startling the two heroes as they heard propellers above them. The Shera neared them, the stepladder falling from an opening at the bottom. "Come on, let's go," Vald said sheathing his blade and going towards the ladder.

He almost grabbed on, before he bent down. He slowly picked up the two piece of his whip that Banirith had snapped. "Vald?" Sora asked.

Valdamar sighed. "Once things calm down, I've got to explain myself to you Sora. To all of you."

Sora put a hand on Valdamar's shoulder. "Hey, we won't let them get our heads. We'll be fine."

Valdamar put on a small smile. "Sora, if this was a week ago, I'd be as optimistic as you. Let's just get out of this crazy storm right now."

Cloud landed upon his sword stuck on the side of what remained of the Shinra building. He looked up to see Sephiroth above him. "On your knees. I want you to beg for forgiveness."

The top section of the building then began to fall down like in an avalanche of concrete and shattered glass. Sephiroth slashed through as the debris headed for Cloud. Cloud stepped on the grip of his Combined Sword, bringing one blade out. He stuck it into the building parallel with the rest of the swords. He quickly flipped into the air pulling the swords out as he began to slash at the incoming slabs of concrete. One split into piece in front of him as Sephiroth came forward at him. The two parried each other's blades as they danced among the concrete jumping back and forth upwards. In a few seconds, Cloud jumped up above escaping the situation as he broke above the falling concrete onto what was left of the rooftop.

Cloud stood, but stumbled, the pain catching up with him. He then stood upright, just before Sephiroth caught up, Cloud rolling to the side to avoid Sephirtoh's blade. Cloud avoided two slashes before locking his Combined Sword with Sephirtoh's before Sephiroth pushed Cloud down. Cloud was slowing as he got up, but Sephiroth kept advancing upon him. Cloud went down on one knee, and then Sephiroth slammed him back against a wall, Cloud becoming limp as his sword clattered next to him. He suddenly grimaced as he felt something go through his body. He looked down to see Sephirtoh's sword sticking through his chest near his right arm.

""Tell me what you cherish most," Sephiroth said as Cloud weakly grabbed onto the sword stuck in him. "Give me the pleasure of taking it away."

Images flashed through Cloud's mind. His friends from two years ago. Denzel and Marlene. Sora and his friends. Tifa. Aerith. _No. No!_

With more newfound strength, Cloud pulled Sephirtoh's sword out of him and stabbed it back into the wall as he got up with his Combined Sword. "I pity you…You just don't get it all." Sephiroth readied his sword and ran forward, the two jumped at each other as they bounded off of the tip of the building. "There's not a thing I don't cherish!"

The two rose up in their air, Cloud swirling his Combined Sword above his head, magical energy gathering around it. Sephiroth grinned and readied his next attack. Cloud brought his sword forward as the five separate swords flew forth from his main sword as they all glowed with radiance as the blades floated around Sephiroth as he looked around, for the first time showed fright upon his face. Cloud let the magic flow as he charged through at Sephiroth with one strike, and grabbed another one of the swords. Two. Three. Four. Five. He grabbed his base sword again and rose up above the circle with Sephiroth in the middle. Cloud charged down with a final strike falling to the roof feet first, the blades stabbing into the ground as he caught the last sword as he looked up at the clearing sky, Sephiroth suspended in the air. "Stay where you belong. In my memories."

A single black angel wing came from Sephiroth as he stared down. "I will…never be a memory."

The wing wrapped around Sephiroth before black feathers disappeared up into the air leaving Kadaj as he fell to the ground, very weak. He tried to run forward at Cloud, but stumbled forward dropping his blade as Cloud caught him. Kadaj didn't have long. He breathed deeply suddenly before he heard someone. "Kadaj?"

He slowly opened his eyes and looked up. "Huh?"

"You don't have to hang on any longer."

"Mother…Is that…"

"Everyone's waiting, if you're ready."

Kadaj had a small smile on his face as he nodded and bought his hand upwards. He began to be lifted away as he began to disappear and go into the Lifestream. The sky was no longer dark as rain fell from the sky. On the ground children with Geostigma felt the rain drops hit their skin as the black spots of Geostigma began to fade away. Those sick with the diseases felt the clutching fear begin to fade away as they rejoiced. The group upon Cid's airship in the cockpit began to celebrate as well. "Oh yeah, we rock!" Yuffie cried out with Materia in her arms.

"See, what'd I tell you foo's?" Barret said.

"That's ma boy, Cloud!" said Cait Sith. "You're the chips and gravy."

"A little push is what he needs, that's all," Tifa said as a water droplet splashed in front of her.

"Y'all calm down, hang on to your briches!" Cid said trying to get everyone to calm down.

Tifa looked up to see water droplets hanging from part of the ceiling of the cockpit. But it was more than that. Tifa felt a presence with them. "Somehow…I knew you were there. Thank you."

Neku and Roxas looked at it from above. "You think he's gone?" Neku asked.

Roxas shrugged. Before he could respond, he a gunshot sounded. Everyone in the cockpit turned to look outside. Cloud had been shot! Yazoo and Loz stood on the other side of the roof, fading away. Cloud than charged forward with his sword. But before anything more could happen, the rooftop exploded. Roxas felt a wave of energy right after the explosion. "You feel that?" Goofy asked.

"Yeah. It was like before," Donald said.

Neku's eye widened with realization as the second wave went through them. "The reality shift is ending! We stopped what had caused Aerith from-"

Before Neku could finish, everything went white as they lost consciousness.

* * *

I EXTREAMLY APOLIGIZE. I have not updated in forever due to many factors. I really wanted to update more often, and I know that sounds like an empty promise at this point. Let me put it this way. I like long chapters, henceforth it takes longer periods between the chapter updates during average weeks now.

Also because of upcoming writings and focusing, I will be shortening the fiction from its original form. There were originally going to be three more Disney worlds after this, but I'm going to cut it up so this story can go faster. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot more story to come, just some less places to visit. Unless people convince me otherwise, I will continue with the main plot and will unfortunately skip the last Disney worlds I was going to do.

Thank you for all the support you've given readers, we're getting near the end, and revelations are to come.

_Dezblade_


	65. 64: Teacher & Trailer

Chapter 64: Teacher (+ Trailer)

Sora opened his eyes as he found himself on the edge of Radiant Garden before he, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi had run into the woods. But there were no woods now. Just a barren waste with a few skeletal trees remaining. He looked at the others as they were confused as well. "What happened?"

"Simple," Namine said as she and Roxas walked up. "The three remnants of Sephiroth were what caused the reality shift. When the cause no longer existed, reality changed back to what it was before."

"So, that all happened?" Goofy said.

"Yeah, but Cloud and the others don't recall it all, although he seems to be in a more positive mood," Roxas said.

"And Aerith?" Kairi asked.

"She's here. And fine," Namine said. "We'd better hurry back. Samen said he'll meet us later."

"Let's go then," he said as the group headed back into the main part of the city.

The soon regrouped with the rest in a building by Merlin's house where the rest were resting, exhausted from everything that had happened. "Where's Vald and Yami?" Goofy asked.

Neku turned down the volume on his headphones. "Yami's sleeping. Vald said he had to ask Aerith something. He hasn't been like himself since we came back. Also said he's look for you separately since Kairi has his bag."

Kairi nodded, remembering what was inside of it as Riku walked off into the back of the building. Kairi yawned as she went over to a bedroom as well, sleep catching up with her. She lay down on the soft bed, her mind racing over the past events, including creating the light around her. She still couldn't believe she had done it. She only wondered if she ever had to use it again. She hoped she wouldn't have to. She lay on the bed, closing her eyes as her mind drifted, sleep slowly trying to grasp her. She was suddenly interrupted when the door opened however as her eyes opened to see Sora standing in the doorway. "Oh, sorry Kai," he said slightly embarrassed, turning to leave.

"No, it's okay," she said sitting up. "What is it?"

Sora shrugged. "Doesn't seem to be any food in the house. I was looking around to see if anything was stored in a cabinet or something."

"And the door looked like a cabinet?" Kairi asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hey! I was just looking everywhere," Sora said as the two friends shared a small laugh.

Kairi than got up and slowly grabbed Valdamar's bag as she opened it up. "Well, I think I had Vald hold onto some food for me a little while back."

"Like what?"

Kairi then pulled out the Papou fruit. Sora's eyebrows went up. "Where did you find that?"

"Back on the island with Mr. Incredible. Valdamar said he found it looking around for food."

Kairi handed it to Sora as he sat on the bed looking at it. "I've only ever seen these grow back on the island at home."

"Yeah, I know," Kairi said sitting next to him.

Sora looked at it, turning around, even just tossing it up a little in the air and catching it. "Any other food in there?"

Kairi picked up the messenger bad but didn't find anything else edible. "Nope, sorry."

Sora then went to give the fruit back to Kairi. "Well, I won't eat your food, I'll look elsewhere."

Kairi put a hand on top of Sora's arm. "No, it's okay. We can share it."

Sora looked at Kairi surprised. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I mean, you're my friend and all."

Sora gave a grin. "Okay," he said as he began to break apart the fruit, and handed some to Kairi. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Kairi giggled.

The two chewed the sweet fruit for a few seconds in silence, both savoring the tangy taste. Sora began to speak with some of the fruit still in his mouth. "You kowf, they sad a fruit-"

"Sora! Don't speak with food in your mouth," Kairi said imitating the boy's mother.

Sora rolled his eyes and exaggerated swallowing the fruit. "You know, Kairi, what they say about the Papou fruit? That those two who share it will have their live connected?"

"Of course I know silly. Everyone knows about that on the island."

Sora took another bite, thinking for a moment before swallowing. "Then…did you draw that, in the Secret Place?"

Kairi had stopped herself from taking another bite. She looked at Sora, their eyes level with one another. "Yeah. A while ago. I mean, you helped with everything back then, I just kinda felt in debt to you. I just wanted to believe that if I drew that, we would be connected. That way I would get to see you and Riku again. But before any of that happened, did you draw one for me?"

Sora began to blush. "Yes, well I…I was just kind of…"

Kairi laughed as Sora became more embarrassed. "Come on Sora, you can just say it."

"Say what?"

"You know."

"Or do I?"

"I think you do."

Sora smiled sheepishly. "Well Kairi, I guess…I guess I've just really liked you for a while. I just wasn't sure what you would think of me."

Kairi put a hand on his shoulder. "Sora…to be honest I…I like you too."

Sora smiled as they looked at each other for a few seconds, slowly moving closer to one another. Their lips met as their eyes closed for a second. Everything else in their minds, all their worries about the worlds around them gone for a second as they kissed. To them, it lasted for a while, when in reality they parted within a few seconds. Both blushed greatly. "So, you were afraid to admit it," Kairi said.

"I did not!" Sora said quickly, making Kairi laugh as the two laughed and argued with one another over simple things, distracted to the darkness that had happened for most of their young lives.

Riku walked into the back where he saw Axel sitting on a chair right next to a door, his head leaned against wall, eyes closed, muttering under his breath. "Axel?" Riku asked.

Axel leaned forward, eyes opening. "What do you want?"

"Is Yami alright? After everything that happened I wanted to make sure she was alright."

Axel sighed. "You think you know her enough to care about her?"

Riku was taken aback by Axel's comment. "We're friends. I'm just looking out for her."

"Trust me dark boy, she needs some alone time right now, alright."

"How would know?"

Axel instantly stood up, looking down at Riku. "Trust me kid, there's a lot you still don't understand about the darkness. You may have been through a lot. But her…she's been through much more."

"What are you talking about? What do you know?"

Axel looked tot eh side, not giving an answer as Riku's temper rose. "What is it with everyone lately and keeping secrets from the rest of us. I'm tired of it."

Axel looked at Riku. "Kid, you're special. You've been through a lot and you recognize you did things wrong. You stood up for your mistakes and went out to correct them. Not everyone has a strong enough heart to do such a thing. Or take me, who doesn't have a heart at all."

"I'm aware that she's had difficulty with the darkness. That's why I'm her friend. I'm trying to help her."

"You can't help her."

Riku and Axel turned to see Valdamar walking down the hallway towards them. "Only Yami herself can redeem herself from the curse of darkness caused by someone else. She has to prove that she has a strong heart to show who she really is."

"What are you talking about? You've been keeping secretes for a while now. Both of you have been keeping information from the rest of us. Why can't you tell us so we can all be on the same page and work together!"

The door suddenly opened as Yami walked out, sleepy eyes framed by an angered face. "He has the right to know."

Valdamar was silent as Axel looked at her. "Which right? The one I know or the one he knows?"

"Both. In fact, they all do," she said walking down the hallway, Riku quick catching up as Valdamar and Axel just stood there.

Valdamar sighed, whipping his hand across his face. "Axel…why does life have to be so cruel?"

"Well, this is the third form I've taken, and I still think she's been worse than all of us ever since I linked the connection between her and Shade. And Shade to-"

"to Lilith," came Samen's voice.

Axel half looked up at Samen. "Well, old man, it's about time we talked again. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Samen held up two piece of the royal scroll. "Perhaps. But it is perhaps you two who need to connect the piece of the past rather than the Royal Scroll."

"Any news on the Seekers?" Valdamar said quickly changing the subject.

"Nothing more than what the others have told me Allen."

"My name is Valdamar," the teen said walking down the hall.

"I will call you Allen for I always knew you as Allen."

The teen stopped foot raised in his next step. He turned to see Samen slowly remove the metal mask from his face. The teenager took off his hat and stared at the soulz of a man in front of him he had last seen many years ago. "How much do you know?"

"Everything," Samen said.

Valdamar collapsed on to the ground, kneeling in front of Samen as he put back on the mask. "Please, you must forgive me for what I have done. It must be unbearable to you for what I've done."

Samen put a hand on Valdamar's shoulder and brought him up. "You only did what is human, and I cannot blame you for being so, for I made a mistake myself than I began to hate myself for what I had done till it drove me to revenge. You have somewhat succeeded more than I have. You just have to help fix the situation and pray it turns out for the better."

"But she can only do it herself. Is that not how it is written, teacher?"

Samen sighed. "Not everything written is true. But if it is, you can least help her get to that. You don't quite believe what Riku want to do to help her. Riku is a good person. With him you really can set things right."

Valdamar sighed as he looked into his old teacher's eyes. "But the others…"

"Vald, chill out will you?" Axel said slapping him on the back. "Look, we've all got our thing to say, and Samen can clear things out. If everything works out, there'll be no more problems."

Vald looked down as they walked down the hall together. "That's what Banirith said too…"

* * *

A short, quick chapter that raises many questions. Who is this teacher? Who is Lilith? What does Yami have to do with all of this.

That and many more questions will be answered next chapter, which be a little while as it will be LONG and full of explanations. And to get you more ready for the final stretch, here's a little trailer for you.

* * *

The grass Crossroad on a silent night, Sora standing in the middle.

SORA: How did it all go so wrong?

Valdamar runs forward in slow-motion, throwing his sword down upon the ground on the stairs of Radiant Garden.

Maleficent laughs as hordes of heartless swarm up covering the Castle That Never Was.

Riku holds onto Yami's hand as darkness surrounds the two.

RIKU: YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE YAMI!

Neku faces off with Sho in Radiant Garden, a blast sending Neku back as he gets to his feet.

King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy take on an enormous Soulz in the shape of a bull.

Axel stood in a different outfit surrounded by darkness and flames, Shade racing at him.

AXEL: You think you can actually face me?

A new weapon then emerged in Axel's hand in a flash of light.

Banirith has his back to Sora, Riku, Kairi, Yami, and King Mickey.

BANIRITH: So, you have made it this far…but was it worth it?

Back to Sora at the Crossroads, small purple crystals growing from under his feet.

Valdamar: We've gone so far…for this?

Twilight Town as meteors fall from above, Valdamar standing upon a roof, clothing torn as footsteps are heard approaching. He looks up and closes his eyes.

_Darkness_

SORA & VALDAMAR: Is any of this for real…or not?

A deafening roar shakes the purple crystalline crossroad as the crystals begin to shatters something arises from under the ground.

Kingdom Hearts: The Crossroad – The Final Path.

Coming Soon In Segments

* * *

Stay tuned for the ending part of The Crossroads.

_Dezblade_


	66. 65: Revelations

Chapter 65: Revelations

Everyone had gathered in the main room, everyone quiet as Samen walked out with Valdamar and Axel from the hallway as the two sat down in chairs. Axel even took his red cloak off to reveal an orange polo and dark blue jeans underneath, replacing his gloves with red fingerless gloves.

"I see that you have all gone through many trials and tribulations to get here. And we almost have all of the pieces of the Royal Scroll," he said holding up two pieces. "Since you had all gone through so much in the change in reality, I managed to find the piece that was within alternate reality through some difficult magic before the alternate reality ended for you. The other from another world."

King Mickey took the two pieces. "That makes a total of eleven out of the fourteen."

Roxas held a hand up to his head. "Wait, how did you get that?"

Samen sighed as he took a seat on a wooden chair. "Well, it is a good of a place as any to explain what has been happening by starting off with that. The paranormal shifts that have bent reality that you all experienced are a caused by a combination of science, magic, and the heart. The combination of these things can be largely unpredictable unless given the right circumstances. What you witnessed before you was a world where Aerith, or Aeris, never existed."

"Who's Aeris?" Goofy asked.

"An alternate version of Aerith. You see, with this world as well as every world, there are alternate worlds. Alternate realities if you will that lie on separate planes. The shifts cause jumps between the planes. These alternate realities can be anything from a difference of name, physical characteristics, or even on where life is nonexistence. However, I'm getting away from the point," Samen said before taking a breath and continuing.

"The cause of what happened to Aerith here trigged a similar reaction in an alternate plan of Radiant Garden that isn't Radiant Garden at all and brought you there. I could only view what was going on with you and only managed to snag the Royal Scroll as the alternate Cloud was engaged with the alternate reincarnated Sephiroth. The only reason you were brought back was due to the fact that Kadaj had moved on as well as the other Remnants of Sephiroth."

"So he's gone for good, right?" Sora said.

Samen shook his head. "No one to my knowledge has ever been wiped from existence. There are other versions of Sephiroth in different realities, perhaps ones where he didn't become mad, or one where the roles of him and Cloud are reversed."

"What!" Donald said, eyes open.

Samen shrugged under his robes, eyes closing momentarily under his mask. "This all suggestions of possibilities as they are endless. However, it was not such this way. There was only a single reality before the formation of the Crossroad.

**Neku's Playlist: Keeping the Peace by Takeharu Ishimoto from Dissidia Final Fantasy**

"You see, when the crossroad formed, alternate pieces of the great being that was trapped by the power of the keyblade and Kingdom Hearts are the only things to escape from it. The heartless, the nobodies, and so on. Very few things have alternates within these many planes of reality. There is Kingdom Hearts itself, and souls that linger back and forth between the realities. There may be other things that are the same that I am not aware of. While the Crossroad itself have not changed, it seems there are replicas of it in a few other places. They are simple reflections to my understanding. Perhaps a gate to the alternate planes of reality."

_Is it just me or am I sitting in lecture class? _Neku sent a thought to Roxas, who only mentally shrugged in response.

"What are you getting at Samen?" Kairi asked.

Samen sighed. "Banirith told you what he is after, no?"

Jiminy jumped out from Sora's pocket, flipping through his journal. "Hold on, let me see here. He said he wanted to rid the worlds of darkness."

"And the only way he can do that is the break the seal of the crossroad which would stop the spread of darkness and heartless. However, doing so puts the existence of every single reality on the line, most likely sending them into chaos.

"So…he's destroying all of the worlds?" Namine said.

Samen sighed. "It appears to be this way. He believes he is doing right by this though and is highly driven. He thinks he is trying to do something for the greater for the rest of all existence and so is blinded by that. The other Seekers follow him mainly for personal goals and that he has power over them."

"Power over them?" King Mickey asked as Valdamar stood up and looked out a window in the room.

Axel waved his hands. "You see, me and Samen's souls were brought here just upon instinct. What Banirith has managed to do is pull soulz floating out around other existences and bringing them here with the possibility of changing or altering them. For the most part he did alright. Xidmun and Io are examples of those who have changed from their original selves. Their soulz have permanently altered because of it. That's why they wanted me on their side because I had not been altered at all by their machine to bring them here."

"So they're using a machine to draw in all the soulz we've been fighting!" Sora said. "If we break that machine, we can stop that power he has over the others then!"

"Perhaps," Samen said. "Some soulz are here naturally, so those would stay. However what the main focus is permanently sealing the Crossroad so that he cannot cause damage to the rest of the realities and our own."

"But we don't have the rest of the Royal Scroll. We're still missing three pieces!" Goofy said.

"He has two of them," Yami said.

"Who?" Roxas asked.

"Banirith."

"Wait, how do you know?"

"He's had them for months now," Valdamar said still looking out the window. "They were the inspiration for his method of purging the darkness."

"And the last one?" Donald asked.

"I believe Maleficent has acquired it," Samen said.

"So we have to get it from her. Shouldn't be a problem," Sora said.

"Wrong," Axel said. "Shade is working with her."

"What!" Riku said standing up.

"She's after the Crystal of Darkness which Maleficent posses because she needs it to gain more darkness," Axel muttered as Riku and Yami stared at Axel intensely.

Kairi was about to question Axel before she was interrupted as Yami got up heading for the door. "We're going, now."

Riku stopped her from leaving. "No we're not. We need to figure out a plan first."

"Riku," Yami breathed. "I told you before the Crystal of Darkness is the only way to rid myself of the darkness that is inside me. Shade wants it for power while I want to rid myself of it."

"Won't you be aiding Shade then?" Neku asked.

"That's unknown," Valdamar said, eyes closed, head against the window.

Yami looked at Valdamar. "What do you know?"

"It's just a hypothesis."

Yami now marched up to her friend. "Don't make me repeat myself. No more secrets. They already know you worked for Banirith in the past."

Neku, Roxas, King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Axel looked surprised hearing about this for the first time. "Wait, what!" Roxas said.

Valdamar went through his pockets and pulled out a small house key and looked at it. He looked at Yami, the two of them staring at each other. He put the key back in his pocket and walked more towards Samen. "I created the machine the Banirith is using. He made me think I could bring back the one I fell in love with years ago, Mary. Because souls never die, by using the machine I could bring back Mary and everything would be as it was before."

Everyone was silent. "I was a fool. A FOOL! I trusted him and he had me on strings like a puppet. Trying experiments that were tests which brought Xidmun here. And I thought I finally had all of the calculations right and Banirith pushed me further, I tried to bring Mary back."

It was still silent for a while as everyone took the information in. "And it worked," Valdamar Allen said between sobs. "Someone had appeared. But it wasn't Mary…not the one I loved. It was her soul, and Mary's memories came back to her over time, but she wasn't the same. She was more aggressive, more outgoing. She had a strong spirit and could stand on her own compared to the dependant Mary I knew. At one point, the power of darkness came upon her and Banirith set see to use her as a tool for his own purposes. It was only when she snapped it into me and gave me confidence did we escape. But we became separated in the darkness between worlds. I somehow got myself to Twilight Town and stayed there for a few months, thinking to myself that Banirith's plans were destroyed by a bomb I had left behind and I had to cast my life as Allen aside for my new life as Valdamar. Only when I ran into you there at the square and saw Banirith and met her again did my consequences come up with me." he finished looking at Yami.

He tossed the key over to her. "The reason I don't want you to go is that what Banirith is trying to do may be the same thing you want to do. If he rids of everything darkness, existence will collapse. Since you came through the machine, if you try to wipe away what is part of you…you might not exist anymore yourself."

Yami looked at Valdamar, her eyes staring at him. "You made me, darkness and all. But you can't tell me what I can and can't do. I'm no longer the Mary you knew. I recall what Mary knew…and how she felt. But it's not the same as I am now."

"You are your own person. You need to make your decisions. I've ruined what life you've had, so the only thing I can do is try to help you for what you look to in life now."

Yami looked over at the key again. Darkness came from her palm, ready to destroy the final link of the past they had between them, but she never did so. She threw it back at Valdamar with a small grin on her face. "You keep it. I gave it back to you when you needed it. Consider it a memento."

The teen coughed up a laugh. "Is that Mary or Yami talking?"

"Is that Valdamar or Allen?"

It was dead quiet, everyone just looking over at one another until Neku drew tense. "Uh, guys…something's wrong." Everyone looked at him, save for Yami and Valdamar who kept looking at one another. "I'm sensing soulz coming this way," he said quickly getting up.

"Where?" Samen said getting up.

"South of here. They're moving fast."

"You all need to leave now. If they get you here, they will take the Royal Scroll. Wherever you go it must be off this world," Samen said quickly.

Valdamar broke the embrace and picked up his hat. "I've done a lot that I regret. I won't join you any further if you don't trust me anymore."

The group began to stand up, looking at one another. Sora walked up to Valdamar and put his hand out. "Come on Vald. When did I say I never trusted you," he said with a somewhat cheesy smile.

Valdamar looked at him, and grinned in return. "Well, Sora, perhaps when we get out of here perhaps we'll actually finish that spar we had back in Twilight Town."

"You're on," Sora said shaking hands firmly with the older teen.

"Get down!" Neku suddenly shouted.

The roof above them began to collapse upon them, Neku quickly throwing his hands up, keeping the roof from falling on their heads as the group began to run out of the room, Axel leaving the red organization cloak behind as Neku zipped out of the room, the cloak being destroyed by the ceiling. Xidmun and Io jumped upon the rubble looking around. "Pitty," Xidmun said. "I was hoping to hear more about achey, breaky Allen. You had to ruin all the fun didn't you Io?

"We have a mission, and we have to stick with it," Io said simply before blasting a hole in the wall to move through.

Ninja soulz burst through the wall behind Xidmun, looking for the group. "Fine, your way I suppose," before turning to the lower soulz. "Get the Royal Scroll at all costs. I don't care what you do."

**Neku's Playlist: Mombasa by Hans Zimmer from Inception**

Sora, Kairi, Goofy, King Mickey, and Axel ran through heartless that had appeared in the area. "Why did there have to be heartless when we're trying to get away from soulz!" Axel asked himself he put his charklams in front of himself to block the attack of a Knight heartless.

"Aura!" Kairi yelled blasting back a Neoshadow with Destiny Place that was approaching Mickey from behind.

"Thanks Kairi!" the King said before finishing a Soldier heartless.

Sora rolled past a heartless before sending a lightning bolt down on it. Goofyjumped next to him clanging through heartless. "We need to get through them fast. We can't let the Seekers catch up to us."

"A little too late for that."

Sora turned to see Luxord and Lexaeus both readying their weapons in front of them, walking towards them. Sprayers advanced in front of them destroying the heartless leaving only the Sprayers and the two Seekers, the sprayers leaving to go elsewhere upon a snap from Luxord. "It seems you've got a bad hand. Now give up the Scroll and maybe we'll let you walk away," Luxord said, Lexaeus readying his tomahawk silently.

"Never!" King Mickey said readying himself.

Sora went through the ideas quickly. "Kairi!"

"Yeah?" she stepping closer towards Sora.

"I need your strength," he said.

Kairi looked confused for a second, but got the idea and nodded. "Axel! Distraction!"

"Coming right up!" Axel said raising his arms.

Pillars of fire began to emerge from the ground as Sora put a hand on Kairi's shoulder. "DRIVE!"

The pillars of fire blocked the Seeker's view as they waited for the fire to die down. As it did, only four figures stood there. "You didn't think about the ace we had up our sleeve!" came alto voice from the figure in the middle.

Sora stood in Heart Form, his clothes now pink and white with the emblem of a stars on his pants. He held Ultima Weapon in his right, Destiny Place in his left. He opened his eyes to show they shown in a bright blue as he looked at his opponents, both keyblades beginning to gleam with light. The Silent Hero banged his weapon into the ground causing a block of earth to rise as he slammed it the blunt side of his weapon flinging the piece of earth at Sora.

Sora leaped forward charging the rock head on, bringing keyblades in a cross before him. He swung them creating a cross of light beam to move forward cutting through the rock, splitting it. The rock began to fall apart as Sora used one of the pieces to boost himself higher up in the air. He felt himself gliding slightly in the air as he used the keyblades to create beams of lights that swept across the ground below him at the two Seekers. The two dodged to have Axel, Goofy, and King Mickey approached. Luxord sent a large card in front of himself to protect himself from a beam of light as Axel came at him, Charklam colliding with blade edged cards. "See you've learned some new tricks!"

Luxord didn't answer back as the two clashed back and forth while also dodging the light show Sora was creating. Meanwhile the King and Goofy tried to push back Lexaeus while avoiding each of his attacks. With a battle cry, he slammed his weapon into the ground, the earth splitting a pillars of darkness rose into the air. Sora stopped his barrage of light beams as one nearly hit him. He twisted around in the air as the darkness began to follow him. He flew around, shooting blasts of light behind him. Suddenly the darkness formed all around him, encasing him in a sphere. Sora closed his eyes, hi spirit with Kairi's focusing together as the two keyblades floated around him as he curled around in a ball. Light blasted out from around Sora like a bomb dissipating the darkness as he flipped down onto the ground, his feet and Ultima Weapon breaking his fall. With tremendous speed as moved forward light following his feet as he spun around with the keyblades covered in light attacking The Silent Hero sending him back before rolling with superhuman speed to block an attack that would have greatly harmed Axel, blasting a beam of light to send the Gambler of Fate back against the fellow Seeker.

"Take this!" said the higher pitched voice of Sora flinging the keyblades forward.

The keyblades swung through the air at the two as Luxord quickly summoned a wall of cards as Lexaeus brought up a layer of earth. The keyblades hit the barriers resulting in an explosion. As the light faded away, the area the two had stood was now charred, but neither was there. Sora caught both songs back in his hands before there was a flash of light as Sora and Kairi returned back to their normal selves. Both breathed heavily. "That…was kind of weird," Kairi said.

Sora gave a small laugh. "You could say that."

Valdamar, Namine, and Roxas rand through the streets as Valdamar thought to himself about everything that had been happening. A thought struck him halfway through running though as he stopped in his tracks causing Namine to stop. "Valdamar, what is it?" Namine asked.

Valdamar looked at his bad, thoughts going through his head. "It could be stopped…"

Roxas poked his head back from around a corner he had run before then, and motioned forward with one of his hands before continuing to run forward. Vald ran forward, his heart beating faster as a plan went through his brain as he rounded the corner.

He suddenly felt himself being tugged off to the side as he saw Roxas was now holding him in a head grip, his arm now a katana blade up against his throat. The fake Roxas slowly formed back into a Ninja soulz as other Ninja soulz emerged from the walls, Roxas up ahead blades crossed Xidmun. Namine ran in, and took in the situation. A ninja came at her, but she side stepped avoiding the attack swingin Artist's Touch to knock the soulz away from her. She quickly aimed the tip of the keyblade against the ground and lined her free hand with in the grip of a pencil. She let go of the keyblade and traced with an invisible pencil in her free hand as the keyblade moved across concrete attacking the soulz approaching her.

Vald continued to struggle with the soulz at, a free hand quickly grabbing the hilt of his sword. He swung it back, the scabbard for the sword hitting the soulz. It's grip loosened, allowing him to escape from the grip, allowing him to spin around in a roundhouse kick slamming the soulz through a wooden market stall. "Chuck Norris sends his regards," he said before drawing Banisher.

Roxas deflected another blow from Xidmun, the world completely alien around him as colors shifted as they duel midair. It didn't make sense to Roxas to how he had gotten in this situation, so he assumed that this was another illusion, breaking the illusion bringing the two to a state of in between illusion and reality as they dueled each other in zero gravity. Roxas reached the ceiling of the odd room the two had found themselves in as he looked down at Xidmun. "Why do you have to keep coming at us?"

Xidmun simply tapped himself off a floating object, his accent a gradual one as he floated closer to Roxas. "That's a good enough question for you itself. Why aren't you back with Sora, where you belong. After all, you are a part of him, right? Just as I am a part of someone who no longer exists. What perpuse for why I come at you? What purpose do you have to emerge from Sora to take your own form once again? Well, I don't bother with these questions mainly because I just like to mess with you all so much. You and Allen especially so much…"

Roxas gritted his teeth. "His name is Valdamar!" Roxas said launching himself from the ceiling.

Roxas almost came upon him when his point of view changed instantly as the two met each other blades against each other walking upright back on the street. Roxas' sense of gravity was thrown off for the second time in a few minutes causing him to fall back, Valdamar jumping in between the two. "Get out of the was Xidmun!" the teen said swishing his sword at him.

The Seeker blocked an attack and went for a stab. Vald fell back gasping before falling on the ground. Banisher fell from his hands as he fell down. Xidmun stood over him and leaned over as Roxas was held down by two Ninjas as he struggled back and forth to get them off. "How does it feel Allen? To feel this way?"

"N….n…not bad!" Valdamar said suddenly with strength as he sent his leg up kicking at where Xidmun would have a gut.

The Seeker stumbled back, Vald rolling up to his feet, and kicked the Ninjas off of Roxas stabbing one of them. Xidmun stabilized himself as Namine regrouped with Roxas and Valdamar. "Alright, enough is enough," he said as he began to disappear into a portal. "You don't think you can defeat my illusions? Let's see if you can stand reality!"

Valdamar charged forward, but he had already gone through the portal. Leaving Valdamar swishing through midair. The three looked around, but nothing looked different at all. "Where'd he'd go?" Roxas asked.

"I don't know," Valdamar said looking around at the rooftops.

"Did he just leave?" Namine asked.

"He had no reason as far as I know," Valdamar said looking around.

The three cautiously walked down the street, backs to each other waiting for an illusion to strike out at them.

Donald, Samen, and Neku ran out of the city limits and headed towards the gorge where the Gummi Ships had been left behind as a portal opened up in front of them. Sho Minamimoto walked out with his arm spread out. "What the factor took you so long? Sudoku can't keep me waiting for all eternity."

"Get out of the way!" Neku said, his hands at the ready while Donald readied his staff.

Samen however steeped between the two forward walking right up to The Torn Coated Seeker to the other two's surprise. "And what are you up to old man? You think you're in the same matrix as me?"

"What I do know is that you should not be here by any purpose as you where were erased long before this. "

"Eh. Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, are you insulting my existence?"

"Rather your place among others."

Sho then swung a hand forward in an energy burst , but dissipated at a barrier came between Samen and the attack. Sho gritted his teeth in a smirk and threw more blasts at the mysterious soulz, but the attacks just kept becoming more deflected. Over a few seconds, Sho just became over irritated that this figure blocked all of his attacks and wasn't worn. What was more frustrating was that Samen didn't take an offense attack at all. "Come on! You afraid to fight?"

"I do not fight. I shall never rise a hand against another, and I shall not pick up that terrible habit now."

"Fine. Stupid 000," the Seeker said walking around him, heading to Neku. "Hey, been a while. How about a rematch for what you did back for me in the city, huh?"

Neku readied a psych attack, and the two sent blasts at one another causing the attacks to cancel each other in the air. Sho readied another but Same quickly moved in front, another barrier deflecting the attack. "You're out of your vector!" She said with anger pointing an accusing finger at Samen. "Step away."

Neku sent thoughts to Samen and Donald. _Look, I appreciate this and all, but this goes back. I need to take care of this. You two can get the Gummi Ships started off so we can leave when the others get here. If I'm still having trouble with him…go without me._

Donald looked at him surprised. "What?"

_I just need to finish this with him. I'll find a way to catch up with you, don't worry about me._

Samen looked over at him. _You remind me of how he once was…_ thought the Soulz before moving out of the way walking around Sho. "So be it. Might I remind you that this is not what you think it may be and we are giving you another chance to leave us in peace," Samen said as he and Donald moved quickly away from Sho and Neku and towards the Gummi Ships.

Sho looked slightly confused at the two leaving giving Neku the chance to pick up a nearby piece of a fallen stone pillar telekinetically and flung it his nemesis. "Son of a digit!" he yelled getting back to his feet.

Sho jumped up in the air twirling around causing waves of energy to fly across the area, Neku hovering to the side to avoid the attacks. The boy rose his hand causing a pillar from the earth to rise nearly taking Sho up with it, but the Seeker would not fall for this trick twice. He fired a blast that hit Neku. Neku flew back in the air, flipping over as he landed on his feet and looked back up at Sho. Neku ran forward gritting his teeth as his fists began to glow yellow.

Riku ran forward, Yami right behind him as the group split to serve as a distraction, deciding to meet up at the Gummi Ships. "Hey, you alright?" Riku asked.

"Kind of an odd question to ask right now isn't it?" Yami said just before the two reached an edge, Yami without warning using a gust of wind to bring them to the ground safely.

The two continued to just before Io walked out to meet them. "In a rush?" he asked, the two immediately summoning their keyblades.

"Hey, you think you can reschedule this meeting till later? We're in a bit of a rush here," Yami said.

"I'm sorry but Banirith has requested that I bring you to him personally. He needs your 'advice' on something that's bothering him at the moment."

"Well he can forget it!" Riku said as the two ran forward.

A shield of light blocked Riku's attack, Io swinging his staff to hit Riku in the gut. Riku felt sick for a moment as Yami deflected another blow from his staff and brought many blows at Io, keeping up a shield the entire time that just pushed him back slightly. "This is not getting us anywhere my dear. Perhaps if you tried a little harder."

Riku had gotten up by now and hit Io with the blunt side of his keyblade in his back. Io grunted in slight pain as he stumbled before facing the two. "How do you like it!" Riku said.

Io scowled and began to swirl his staff with both of his hands in a circle continoulsy, darts of light spraying out and towards the two. They ran to behind a concrete statue as it began to become pelted by the light. "Any bright ideas?" Riku asked.

"Only dark ones," Yami said, " remember when he first ran into each other?" Riku nodded. "Well find something to hold onto, because I'm doing it again. When I tell you too, let go."

"Why?"

"You'll see!" she shouted as using a gust of wind she propelled herself over the statue away from the light darts. "Let's see how you like this," Yami said threw down a black orb from her hand.

The orb erupted as wind began to pick up, the beginning of a cyclone. Riku stabbed his keyblade deep into the ground and clung for his life. Io began to fire at Yami, but the Light was sucked in by the miniature black hole at the center. The wind picked up even more as tendrils of darkness sprouted from the center and began to beat upon the ground causing Io to lose his footing and lifted up into the air. Riku saw Io moving around the wind, casting a shield of moonlight around till it looked like he was a moon in an extremely fast orbit. He began nearing the center faster and faster. "NOW!" Yami shouted crossing her arms.

Riku let go of his keyblade and re-summoned it as he was picked up in the wind, everything suddenly going for the dark portal as he found himself going high in the sky before diving down at the center which Io was ahead of him. Io's shield around reached the portal as Yami closed, falling to the ground being worn out by the magic as Io lowered his shield. "You think you can suck me in?" he asked raising his staff which began to glow brightly.

Riku came at full speed from above, yelling as he charged keyblade first and slashed through Io and hitting in the ground causing dark flames to arise upon the spot. Io cried out in great pain as he felt his soul being ripped by the attacked, the dark flames burning him. Riku looked up, actually frightened by the sight of Io. He continued to scream as a light bent around him and he disappeared. The two breathed heavily as they stayed where they were for a few seconds. "Is he gone?" Yami asked.

"I hope so," Riku said slowly standing up, and helped Yami to her feet. "You okay?"

Yami nodded. "I've had better, but this isn't the worse thing to happen to me.

* * *

Well believe or not this was supposed to be LONGER, but I figured it's about time you all had an update so I'll leave you on a slight cliffhanger. More revelations and development to come in the next chapter, although I'm currently when finding the best cut off point for the chapter afterwards, so we'll see when that comes out. If you're still confused about a thing or two, they should be absolved soon enough.

**Heart Form: **Result of when Sora Drives with Kairi. Using both keyblades in hand Sora can now glide in the air no matter the situation, increased speed and agility, as well as a master technique upon using light magic. This heavily drains both of them upon leaving the Drive.

I hope to get a lot more up during the winter break, all depends if I get a seasonal job or not.

This is the beginning…of the end.

_Dezblade_


	67. 66: Sacrifice

Chapter 66: Sacrifice

**Neku's Playlist: New Way Home by Foo Fighters from The Colour and The Shape**

"SINE!" Sho said swiping at Neku, but missing. "COSINE!" he said swiping at a different angle, catching Neku in the chest. "TANGENT!" he said delivering an uppercut knocking Neku's head up.

Neku fell to the ground, quickly getting up to avoid a blast of energy smoldering the ground where he once lay. He raised himself in the air closing his eyes as the Torn Coated Seeker threw another attack, only for a ring of water around Neku to deflect the attack. Neku breathed as he felt the calm nature of the water protect him and heal his injuries as he cleared his mind. He can't be angry to win this fight. He has to think to win against him.

He opened his eyes as he dropped to the ground, the water ring disappearing. He brought a hand forward like a fist shooting an ice ball at Sho. It hit its target causing him to stumble backwards. Neku zoomed forward above the ground and tackled his foe sending them both down onto the ground as the two rolled on the rocks as they neared the cliff face. Sho ended underneath Neku and quickly kicked him off, sending Neku over the cliff.

Neku screamed in surprise, not expecting this. He saw a tree branch sticking out of the side of the cliff face and aimed himself at it. He caught it with his hands and used his telekinesis to push him forwards more. He swung around the branch and headed back up with the same amount of momentum as falling, branch breaking in the process. He zoomed up and grabbed the edge of the cliff as Sho stood up, seeing how Neku made it back. He slammed a foot down on one of Neku's hands, the teenager crying out in pain. "You're so zetta slow," Minamimoto said readying to use his other foot to kick Neku in the face.

What he didn't see coming was the piles of rocks rising from below with Neku's telekinesis. Suddenly, rocks began pelting themselves over the edge as if an angry mob was throwing them overhand. Sho backed up and began blasting some out of the air, moving back to avoid the rest. Neku lifted himself over the edge and swung his hands up.

Every single rock in the area and other piece of debris lifted up in the air, suspended for a moment. "You always liked making piles of junk, right?" Neku asked, his hands glowing. "Well now you can be part of one!"

Neku threw his hands at the soulz as all the clutter smashed itself at The Seeker resulting in a large boom with a cloud of dust rising. As the dust dissipated from a gust of wind, Neku stepped forward, his hair slightly moving in the breeze as he saw the pile of smashed rock and rubble. "Neku?"

Neku turned to see Sora, Kairi, Goofy, King Mickey, and Axel running towards him. "What happened?" Kairi asked.

Neku waved his hand as if it was nothing, but he heard something that stopped him from talking. HE heard a rumbling sound from the rubble pile as it began to shake, small rocks falling from the structure. "Uh-oh," Goofy said as began to bring his shield in front of him.

"It's gonna blow!" Axel said as the group ran back away from the pile of rubble.

The pile of rocks erupted as debris flew across the area and a figure walked out from the pile. Neku could see Sho with that crazy smile of his that always freaked him out. "Well, well. If that's how we're going to play, I might as well bring you down for good, like I should have back then!"

Soon the air began to become full of energy as Sho began to laugh manically as tattoo wings began to emerge from his back. Six wings grew out to their points as he began to grow in size just before they tightly wrapped around him and exploding in a furry of tattoo markings and sound.

What stood was a black anthropomorphic lion with glaring red eyes, silver tattoos over its chest, it's lower body and tail nearly invisible save for the tattoo markings covering most of the body area.  
"This is my latest masterpiece. I call it: Myself!" came Sho's voice from the Leo Cantus that stood before them.

The six readied themselves. "Be careful," Neku said. "We have to take him down fast because he could wear us all out very quickly."

Leo Cantus moved forward upon its legs swiping it's claws at Neku who quickly jumped into the air sending a bolt of lightning at him. Axel threw his charklams as the Noise Soulz as It spun around wildly full 360, its tail sending Axel backwards into a pile of rocks. King Mickey ran forward, spinning through the air in a jump over the tail as it swung around. The King landed on his feet before coming in close contact and quickly swiping at Cantus before it slammed into the ground at the King. "DIE! DIE!" the creature roared as he created small craters in the surface.

Goofy quickly slid across the ground bringing his shield up, blocking one of the strikes protecting the King as the punch caused the Leo Cantus to bring back its paw in surprise. Kairi took the moment to send a beam of light directly at the Seeker's face. It cried out in pain stumbling back, Sora running around to behind it. He went to use the keyblade to cause it to trip backwards, but he never got the chance as the tail swept around knocking Sora up into the air.

Sora cried out as the ground left him to flail in the sky. He began to tumble back down just to see Leo Cantus' jaws opening wide with waiting teeth. Before Sora could meet the maw, Axel sent his charklams lit as they cut across the muzzle of the creature as it moved in pain. Sora felt himself halting in midair as Neku brought him back to the ground safely telekinetically. Kairi and King Mickey together sent blasts of magic at Leo Cantus to cover Neku and Sora as Axel and Goofy charged forward. "I hope you know what you're doing!" Goofy said looking at the beast.

"Don't worry!" Axel yelled.

The Captain of the Royal Guard began to spin around, shield out at arm's length as he began to spin around like a mini twister. Goofy hit the beast a few times as Kairi and Axel kept using spells to prevent the creature from harming Goofy as Mickey went to see if Sora and Neku were alright. "Now!" Goofy yelled, his voice slightly slurred from spinning around constantly.

Axel readied himself, lighting the outer part of one of his charklams. He focused at Goofy spinning around, almost as if time had slowed down as he tracked where Goofy's free hand was. After a few seconds he readied his arm, and spun the charklam towards Goofy. He saw the disk of fire swirl through the air towards Goofy, who just managed to catch it in his free hand. "Yes!" Axel said in victory.

A ring of fire became part of Goofy's spinning, the constant spinning causing Leo cantus to be focused entirely upon Goofy, who managed to spin around avoiding his attacks. Leo Cantus became full of rage as he continued to attack Goofy. "You zetta sons of digits!" Leo Cantus said partially lit aflame.

It swung it arms to the side causing a large gust of wind causing Goofy to be knocked back Axel quickly catching Goofy. "Alright. It's time…" It said, a power beginning to gather around it. "I'll erase you from my spatial co-ordinates!" He looked at Neku staring him down.

The group gathered around each other looking at the beast, unsure what was going on, until Neku gasped. "Oh no…"

"Prepare to be iterated!" Leo Cantus said throwing its arms out as an aura of dark designs among red began to flow around him. "3. -"

It continued to spew numbers as Neku pulled out a pin from his pocket instead of accessing one of the pins he had on his shirt. "Guys, we have to finish him now!"

"What's he doing?"

"_I _Flare. It's destroy the entire area taking us with it." Neku yelled over the growing static noise the aura was creating as the numbers went down further. "I need all of you guys to focus your power on this!" he said levitating the pin in front of them.

"Let's do it!" Sora said keyblade pointed at the pin. Kairi and Mickey followed suit. All three began to fire energy into the pin as it began to radiate with energy.

Axel put a hand forward, a column of fire erupting from his palm as it hit the pin as well, Goofy readied behind the pin, preparing to use his shield as a spring. The combined energy of the pin began to radiate as well, two glows of power challenging each other creating a barrage of noise and light. Neku focused all of psych powers on him at the bin as well, until it began to flash repeatedly. "But Neku," Kairi said as Neku readied himself to grab the pin. "You're going to blast him, right?"

Neku shook his head. "There's no way to stop him from using the attack even if we can stop him. It's a suicide attack. I have to take him head on."

"What! That's what you're going to do!" Goofy said.

"That's mad!" Axel said.

"Trust me on this. It's only way to stop him. We're too close to Radiant Garden, and this could cause part of the town to be wiped out. If I get him down into the crevice below, it'll just create a bigger hole."

"But if you go down with him," Sora started looking at Neku, not finishing his sentence.

Neku just grinned as he slowly lowered his headphones, putting them around his neck, his ears completely open to the noise happening around them. "Sora. Guys. You're great friends. Besides, I've told you. I've already died before. To be honest, dying was the best thing that happened to me."

Neku looked forward at Leo Cantus, its energy becoming dangerous. "Stuck in an alternate reality fighting to get a second chance at life taught me how important it is that friends are and how they'll always be there for one another. You have to stop the Seekers as soon as you can to prevent more from getting hurt."

He turned to look at the others, a grin coming across his face. "Besides, I'll be fine."

Sora looked at him unsure. "But…"

"Sorry guys. You've got a move on, and I've got to settle this once and for all."

And without another word, he grabbed the pin and moved forward bounding off of Goofy's shield. It was nearly in an instant that Neku turned into a streak of orange light that streaked forward catching Leo Cantus and sending the two high into the sky. The group ran towards the edge of the cliff, their yells useless.

They could only see the collision of energy in the distance of the canyon hit the ground just before they were all instantly blinded. It seemed like many minutes went by before Sora could see again, gasping. There beyond was an enormous crater carved within the canyon, leaving an impression upon the world.

**Neku's Playlist: Adagio for Strings**

The group stared over the edge, just starring, no one saying a word. Kairi began to cry, not able to hold back the tears as she leaned against Sora, her head on his chest as he held her, trying to comfort her, his head resting slightly on top of hers. Goofy stood, shield falling from his arm as he sniffed.

Riku and Yami ran from nearby. "Hey. What was that?" Riku asked they got closer.

"What was with that light?" Yami slowly asked looking at the others as they looked at where the damage had been done.

"Neku. Why did he have to do it?" Mickey said, looking half at the ground and what was ahead.

Axel stared forward, not making any moves for a few moments. "I never really got the kid. Hey kind of reminded me of you and Roxas though. Although…" Axel trailed off before turning around, looking over his shoulder, and then continued to walk off to where Samen and Donald were advancing.

Riku went over and stopped Donald, but Samen moved past him quicker then he normally was towards them. "We have to get going. The Seekers saw that and they'll becoming where the light was."

He put a hand on Sora's shoulder as the Keyblade's chosen one looked up at him. The two looked at each other in silence. Sora could see something just beyond the warped mask that hid his face, but Sora wasn't sure if the man was showing emotion or not. "Please, Sora. It was his decision. We cannot change what his heart tells him to do."

King Mickey turned for a second. "Wait a minute. Now I remember! I remember who you are!"

Samen turned to look at King Mickey. He suddenly cried out and moved past King Mickey and moved in front of Yami, a shield coming up in front of them. Small daggers struck his shield with electricity as they moved around. Yami looked through the shield as she could see Larxene grinning as she advanced down upon the group, laughing. "Go! We must make haste!"

"But-" Sora started, but Axel grabbed him.

"No arguing! We've got to move!" Axel said as he saw other Luxord appeared right behind her as she threw lightning bolts towards them.

Samen moved his arms in front of him causing a shield to come up as he slowly moved backwards, projectile attacks coming from all of them. The shield began to falter, but Samen kept it up as he moved backwards, shield with him. "Let's get in the ships!" Riku yelled as the group began to run forward Yami slower than the rest as she cautiously looked at Samen. Why did he save her?

That thought was interrupted by an explosion up ahead. One of the Gummi ships now was in pieces, parts laying everywhere. The one furthest away was all of the sudden crushed by a massive boulder from above as Lexaeus came into view. "No!" Donald squawked as he readied his staff just to have another barrier to come up.

Samen now held up two barriers, though it was obvious they were weakening him. "Go! Before they get too close!" he said.

Sora looked to see Valdamar, Roxas, and Namine running from far off, trying to catch up. "We'll pick them up in the ship!" he said as the group began to pile onto the ship.

King Mickey then stood next to Samen. "Come on!" he said, bringing up his keyblade to create another shield behind them before Samen's quickly fell to a boulder covered in darkness that was hurdled at them. "You've got to get inside!"

"No, my old friend. I will be the last to get on."

"Yeah right, and I'm made of light," Yami said stepping next to the man.

"What are you doing!" Riku yelled from inside the cockpit of the last Gummi Ship, running out as fast as he could, Sora following him as Axel held Kairi back.

"Let me go!"

"Sora told me you could fly good. We need you to get this thing moving so we can pick them up and get out of here!"Kairi stared at Axel for a minute, before quickly latching herself into the pilot seat and readied the controls, the ship slowly getting off the ground.

Yami bumped Samen, his concentration ending as the shield fell. "GO!" She yelled as she slammed her keyblade into the ground.

A wall or dark waves surged forward as powerful as the wall as it moved towards the two Seekers, making vision between the two possible. "No, please!" Samen said, but Yami was already dragging the Soulz with her towards the ship, King Mickey getting ahead.

Sora and Riku hung outside the entrance to the Gummi Ship as it headed towards the group, both holding their arms out. They hoisted King Mickey up aboard and were about to reach for Samen when he turned and stopped. He suddenly moved to the side and ran in front of Yami. A blast of lightning struck him and caused the two to fall as the ship went past them.

"No!" Riku said, jumping down, Sora and King Mickey following, Goofy crying out in surprise as he saw them jump off.

"Go back! He yelled to Kairi!"

"Shit," Axel said under his breath as he ran into the cockpit seeing and ran in. "Get all the shields up you can. We've got to cover them!"

Sora ran over to where Yami stood over the Soulz, shaking. He almost reached them when he saw the mask that has always presided over the face on the ground, destroyed. He reached them and stopped as Riku and King Mickey caught up, Riku skidding to his knees. "No, it can't be."

Sora leaned down on a knee to look at the face of Ansem the Wise as he groaned, a the golden blood seeping through the cloth on his torso. "Ansem," Mickey said in a sad voice.

Yami just stared at him as he held up a hand to her face. "Oh Mary. I hadn't seen you in forever. You must understand why I didn't tell you earlier it was me," said the weakened soulz of Ansem.

Yami just held his hand, a tear upon her face. "Father…" she said weakly.

A loud bang snapped Sora's attention as he saw Roxas, Namine, and Valdamar rushing forward as Valdamar threw back another makeshift gas bomb he had made, but saw what was in front of him. He knew what had happened before he got there, suddenly running with all the strength he had left within him. At one point, he threw down his sword from his hand just so he could get there faster. "Teacher! Ansem!" He said running over as he stood next to Yami, before slumping to his knees in defeat. "No…"

Ansem gave a small laugh. "Oh, Allen. I was hoping you would have gotten here faster."

"No. No! This is all my fault!" he said, shaking with horror.

Ansem shook his head. "Never. I am as guilty as you are. You sought to bring back what was missing from your life as I only left my life of revenge to where I met Riku and Sora. I just," he stopped for a minute to grimace in pain. "I just never expected for what my heart was telling me all along was just what I needed to do. I was a fool. You may have been misguided…Valdamar. But you did was right to you. I had ignored what I knew what was right to get what I wanted, but what not what I truly wanted."

"When you two wanted to see other, I didn't want my precious daughter to spend so much time with you, especially someone I had taught when he was a youngster. I was a fool then, only till that sickness came over her. Only then did I realize how I felt. If only I had taken that lesson into hand when I was betrayed…" he said, coughing as the Gummi Ship floated overhead, the shield keeping the Seekers at bay as Roxas and Namine finally were within range, Namine slowly picking up Valdamar's blade, Banisher.

"But it seems that your hearts were meant to understand each other, and I continued to ignore my own heart. Valdamar…don't let the past effect you. That is how I have come to be how I am. Please just do what your heart tells you to do. The both of you." He turned to Sora, Riku, and King Mickey. "Riku, you showed me how revenge was wrong, and that it wouldn't help me. I guess I should have listened to you more. Mickey, I am sorry we never got to talk as much as we did. We could have understood each more. Sora…I never really got to know you, but I know your spirit through Roxas, and it shines through both of you. You showed the might of what a true and pure heart holds. Don't forget that. Now please, you must get the last pieces of the scroll. It…will tell you…how to stop them from breaking the Crossroad. All of this…can…be forgiven."

His eyes seemed to drop slightly. "Father?" Yami said, both of her hands now over his.

"It…it…it is…time for me…to go…I have done what I…can for you. Go," he said before coughing again. "The chosen keyblade wielder may be the one that connects everything, but a key has parts to it."

And with that, the soul of Ansem the Wise was at peace. "No! Father! Please! FATHER!" Yami cried out holding onto him as golden dust began to rise from him and dissipate into the air.

Valdamar slowly took Yami's hands in his own and placed Ansem's hand over his chest, Riku picking up the other and putting the two hands together. "Thank you…Ansem," King Mickey said, closing his eyes.

The soul gave a small flash before all that remained were a few gold shimmers that remained the air before they disappeared as well, the five still on their knees as Roxas and Namine moved from where they were to approaching them, Axel standing on the edge of the entrance to the ship. He broke the silence after a minute. "Let's go," he said. "The shield's won't take much more."

Yami glowered with anger as she stood up darkness beginning to bend around her, tears in her eyes. Valdamar quickly hugged her. "Not know Yami. Please. Think of what he just did for us."

Yami was nearly in her dark form, but her emotions had thrown her over as the darkness seeped out from her she began to bawl on Valdamar. He closed his eyes and slowly got her to walk onto the Gummi Ship, the others following suit. They Gummi Ship flew up into the sky leaving Radiant Garden as the Seekers looked at it fly off into space.


	68. 67: Darkness

Chapter 67: Darkness

Kairi stayed at the controls as Sora sat next to her as they cleared gravity and it seemed that soon they were now in the depths of space with nothing around them other than the stars of the galaxy. Sora said nothing as the two sat in place, Kairi at one point switching the controls so the ship stayed suspended. Neither of them saying anything. Sora sighed, not being able to think of anything to say, got up from his seat only to knock into a cabinet that was partially open. He went to close it when he saw the contents.

He slowly picked up the masks that were given to them back when they had become "superheroes", Neku's purple one on top. Kairi sobbed as she looked at what was in Sora's hands. The two looked at each other before Sora hugged her tightly. The two didn't say a word, cradling each other in the cockpit.

Riku walked out from one of the rooms. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were getting in contact with Yen Sid to seek guidance as well as any information. He walked down the hall to where Axel and Valdamar sat outside a door where Yami was sleeping. Riku leaned against a wall before sliding down to sit across from the two. He sighed as he looked down at the ground.

It was silent for them as well, no one saying anything for a few moments. "So…Ansem was your teacher?"

Valdamar shifted and nodded. "For a short while before I changed into going into learning about science and engineering. My parents have a lot of money and they paid for me to thought by someone to understand the system of cities a lot better since I was a bit of a crazy kid. Got in trouble with the law a few times."

"And you met Mary."

Vald nodded. "I was a bit more behaved before I became friends with her, and I had began to work with the Professor before we became more serious with one another and she…became ill."

Riku put his head down. "I spent a lot of time with him myself. About a year. He saved me from the darkness and helped me onto the path I am now. He was trying to use me for revenge initially, but that changed over time. I learned a lot from him indirectly."

Valdamar gave a small smile. "That's how he always taught lessons."

Riku sighed again. "I'm sorry. Both of you. I treated you both as outsiders when I should have fully trusted you."

Valdamar shook his head. "Naw. If that's the case we should be even."

Axel waved a hand. "Same here. I haven't even told you what I know about her."

"Yami- I mean Mary?" Riku said.

Axel shook his head. "No. Shade."

"You said Shade was working with Maleficent, right?" Riku said. "How do you know?"

"Back at Port Royal. Ran into her alone. We talked mainly because I noticed the connection between her and Yami."

"Now hold on a minute, what do you mean connection?" Valdamar asked.

Axel sighed. "You both should know. After seeing Yami something was just off with her every time we came across Shade. Did either of you see both of them at once? Where was Yami when Shade appeared?"

"Back in that alternate reality Shade was holding Yami hostage while me and Kairi fought Shade off," Riku said.

"And how was she doing it, heh?"

"Shade was holding onto with the darkness and also draining her using her wind magic."

Axel shook his head. "You didn't quite see everything, although it shows a development in the relationship. Yami wasn't captured so to say."

"What do you mean."

"Shade is an essence of Darkness. Almost like a spirit. But in order for this spirit to survive, it needs to cling onto something. It needs to be a host. Riku, you told me Shade wanted you to become a part of it. To join 'them."

"Right…it was referred to itself in plural."

"Shade is parasitic. As a parasite, it needs a host. But a host will not last forever and a parasite needs to keep feeding in order to last longer. At one point, a host will not be able to free itself from a parasite."

Riku's eyes went wide as did Valdamar's. "You mean that thing has been sucking the life out of her?" Valdamar said pointing to the door.

Axel nodded. "Yeah, that's what they all told me, the three of them."

"Three?"

"Yami, Shade, and…Lilith."

"Lilith?"

"Shade's original host. I knew her when I first had known here originally when I grew up in Radiant Garden. However I just knew here as a girl down the street. After I became a Nobody, I ran into her at Twilight Town, a shy girl who had grown into someone who was very quick to anger and offensive. After becoming a member of the Organization, we ran into more often. Sometimes we'd have ice cream. She really liked that. It calmed her down."

Riku remembered the days of when he watched the Organization where he had seen Axel with Roxas atop the clock tower eating sea-salt ice cream.

"But Shade came and protected her before some thugs tried to mug her. Twilight Town wasn't always the nicest place. Shade saved her and offered her protection and power in exchange for being her host so Shade could survive."

"It sounded like a great idea. She fancied herself a person to clear the streets. But Shade corrupted her. She began to kill. She became extremely powerful when it was at one point the interest of the Organization to take it down. I don't think Lilith was in control at the point. We fought Shade and we assumed it was gone. Apparently it survived. And at one point much later came across Yami.

"Lilith is probably not much anymore. Yami told me her story. About her relationship with you," Axel nodding to Vald, "as well as the sickness. She then told about the first few days coming back as Yami. Reminded me a lot of when we got new members of the Organization coming in. She told about the darkness coming to her along with her keyblade and everything that happened to her. Shade found her when she was at her end surrounded by heartless. Joining up with a spirit of darkness, the heartless paid her no mind. Although it was very obvious that this relationship was different than with Lilith. Yami assumed it was temporary and wouldn't let Shade become in control. Her head was much clearer."

"But it became harder as it went on. She wasn't in control when she was walking around as herself sometimes. She wasn't in control when she fought Riku both times."

Riku held up a hand to his head, the realization hitting him like a freight train. "It…it's true. When I was battling Shade aboard the Black Pearl I grabbed Shade's arm and felt human skin beneath it. And she was bleeding afterwards."

Axel nodded. "And that's why Yami was such a wreck after the fight. Because you and Sora had nearly destroyed Shade, Yami along with."

The two stared at the Flurry of Dancing Flames. "You mean…she almost died there?" Riku said, Vald turning to look at the door in silence.

"I wouldn't say that. She's a strong girl. She just would have out of it for a while. But after today…she had an emotional blow."

Riku looked down at the ground. "And if she lets her emotions control her, she loses herself to the darkness and Shade."

Valdamar took off his fedora and held his head in his hand. He rubbed his forehead eyes clenched shut as he tried to process everything. Mary becoming Yami from his doing. Yami becoming a host to Shade. And Banirith. He was the cause of all of this. He convinced Valdamar. He formed the Seekers. He wanted to stop darkness by destroying everything, but that didn't make sense. That was the plot to a cheesy movie. There had to be something more.

The door creaked open as the three turned to look. "Vald?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Riku there?"

Vald and Riku looked at each other, a hint of anger sparking on Valdamar's face. After everything that had happened and she wanted to talk to Riku? "Yeah, I'm here."

There was a deep sigh as a very weary Yami stepped out but didn't go further than the doorway. "What do you know of the crystal of darkness?"

"Not too much. Maleficent had said it was a source of darkness, and essence of it being stored. The one who possessed it had that power at it's beckon. She had it has a side project when she was gathering the princess of heart. Always keeping an eye out for it."

"Riku…I felt it. The power of the darkness reaching out to me. Not like how Shade is. Shade at least gave the illusion of pleasant feelings. Good vibes. This was pure darkness. It wanted me. So much. I…I don't know how I didn't give into it. And it was just sitting as a crystal in Maleficent's outreached hand. She didn't seem effected by it at all. You have to understand when I first ran into you, Shade was with me. When you approached, Shade thought you possessed the crystal. For the last one to have it was Xehanort's Heartless."

Riku looked down at the ground. "And that's why you thought I was him. Because I had once fallen under him himself."

"Tell me Riku. How did you escape it? How did you break away from its grasp?"

Riku was quiet for a moment. "At one point, I was pretty much gone. But when me and Sora had run into each other, he had defeated me with Ansem's power. It was then I realized that the darkness was not all powerful. I realized what I had done and set out to stop it and go against the darkness. Kinda of like how you want to rid yourself of it. But the darkness reached a place far within me. I can't be me without the darkness. It's a part of me. So I had to battle the darkness within myself and show that I was in charge of myself. My darkness was my own, not anyone else's."

Yami banged her head against the wall. "So the crystal wouldn't rid me of it?"

Riku shrugged. "I don't know. But…I was once given the chance to have the darkness sealed away. Never to be brought back up again."

Yami looked at Riku. "Tell me how."

"Yami, you-" Valdamar started.

"SHUT UP!" Yami yelled giving Valdamar Allen a glare that made him shrink away.

"You won't like it," Riku said.

"Tell me."

He told her.

Valdamar looked at him. "Wait, you mean-"

"Everything. She wouldn't know anything anymore. All of her current memories would no longer be there," Axel said.

Yami shot Axel a glance. "How would you know?"

"I know the person that offered it to him. But I think that particular person wouldn't offer it to you either."

"Because it's the same concept. Darkness is whipped out, you are whipped out," Valdamar said looking at Yami.

Yami banged a fist on the door. "Will you all stop being so negative and give me some answers!"

No one said anything. Riku stepped forward and went into the room. "Come inside. Alone."

Yami turned to look at him as Riku walked into the room and kicked her bed, not caring about the pain shooting up his foot. The darkness was overpowering his senses, but he controlled it. "Close the door."

"Now what are you doing?" Axel said getting up.

Before he could barge in, Yami flicked her hand causing a gust to slam the door shut, another turning the lock. Axel and Valdamar went to the door trying to open it from the outside as Riku and Yami stared at one another, darkness flowing around each of them. "Don't try and make things look ugly Riku."

Riku stared at her. "I have to."

A wave of darkness flowed form Riku, Yami countering with her own wave. To her surprise, Riku had a let a weak attack and hers plowed through his and hit him sending him back onto the bed. Yami looked at him in shock. He took the moment as he appeared next to her and readied his arm grabbing hers. "If you know what is good for you, hold on tight."

Yami arched her eyebrows as she looked at the darkness surrounding the two of them, changing. She looked into Riku's eyes as they stared at one another. "Do you trust me?" Riku said.

"You can't trust me. Shade has tainted me enough."

"That wasn't the question."

Yami stared at him, neither keyblade wielder of Darkness or Dawn blinking. "Yes." Finally came the reply.

She grabbed his arm as Riku than clenched her arm darkness pouring from both of their hands. Their sense became overloaded with everything as they cried out in pain. At first, all of their senses were sharpened higher than either had experienced. It was soon soothes over quickly by the darkness as it coated around them, the two gritting their teeth to ward it off.

And then there was nothing.

Images ran by so fast they were a blur. Riku knew what they were, but each one gave a surprise. Yami watched the floating figments go by to realize what they were. Memories.

Riku opened his eyes to see himself on a beach. There was a setting sun. This place looked…peaceful. He looked around as she saw figures running along the beach. He instantly recognized them, even though they looked different and were younger, he could tell who they were. The young teenagers walked up to one another, holding hands. "Forever?" The girl asked.

"Forever." The boy said, and they kissed.

Yami was on an Island where she saw she youth on an island, no trouble identifying them as she thought to herself looking at one in particular.

She blinked to now find herself flying past the memories. The island tearing itself apart, a boy holding out his hand to the other and what came next she didn't want to see, but she couldn't look away.

Riku cried out in pain as the memories of Shade hit him harder then he thought they could. He wasn't just seeing the memories, he was feeling them.

Yami watched her father as he talked to Riku. She had been so ignorant of him before being Mary, and now she wondered if she ever took anything back.

More memories flashed by the two until they found themselves facing one another back in the hidden basement of the mansion. They looked at each other, fully aware of each other's lives. But they didn't see each other. They saw a mirror image of themselves within each other's eyes. "Riku...why did you do that?"

Riku sighed. "I wanted you to learn about what I went through firsthand. You've been through a lot, that I know for certain. But within you I see the potential."

"Of what?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Yami looked around them, the memory beginning to blur into darkness. "But…can I do it?"

Riku moved through the memory, the edges around him becoming blurred as he threw his arms around her in a hug just before the darkness stopped everything.

"I'm your friend. I won't leave you alone in the dark."

Keyblades laid to waste everywhere. Occasional bits of sand flew by as the windswept by. But among the keys, only one was not stuck within the ground. It was being held by a construct of metal that had not been moved in years.

A spark of something hit the construction and it almost seemed to twitch, as if it were a wild animal sensing danger nearby. It then swiftly moved as an armored head reared up and looked up into the sky.

His twitched his fingers. That was an interesting development, yet he dared not move another muscle. He must continue to rest until the time was right. But that sense of darkness. It reached far. What had it done?

A great whooshing noise went around them as they found themselves back in reality as they fell back from one another on the floor gasping, sweating profusely. Yami stared at Riku who just gulped in the air and smoothed his hair slightly just as Valdamar and Axel broke through the door lock into the room. "What the heck happened in here-WHOA," Axel stopped himself seeing Riku and Yami on the ground sweating a lot. "I think I'm going to leave you alone. Why did I put all that effort opening the door?" he said as he hastily went back out the door.

"What did you do Riku?" Valdamar approaching Riku, only being stopped by Yami as she ran up to him and kissed him.

Valdamar stopped in his tracks, looking at Yami as she hugged him, eyes closed. "Allen?"

Allen took off his hat slowly and looked at Yami. "Mary?"

Yami went back and rolled her eyes slightly. "Nope. Still Yami. Are you still both?"

Valdamar hugged her back. "I'm whoever you need me to be."

"Can you just be who you want to be then?"

Valdamar looked at her as he slowly pulled out the old house key with "A/VXM/Y" on it. He slipped it back into his pocket as he kissed Yami back. "Call me Valdamar."

And Yami smiled. With her teeth. Genuine happiness. Riku gave a small smile himself and walked out the door, giving the two privacy as he went down the hall around the corner to see Namine sitting on the floor leaned against the wall. "Thank you."

Namine nodded. "No problem. You still sure that it was a good idea?"

Riku rubbed his forehead. Memories filled with emotion as Shade had taken over Yami's body over and over. Memories he would never be able to rid himself of. He could never forget them. Riku nodded opening his eyes. "Yeah. You told me the risk of it. I'll live with it."

He started to walk off before Namine stood up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Riku. Why do you keep doing this?"

"Hm?"

"You always make sacrifices. You always go the step further for your friends. Why is it always you?"

Riku sighed. "Because there are some tasks that no one should do, but someone has to. Neku knew that. And…I don't want them to lose what they've searched for so long."

Namine looked at him more. "Even if that means everything?"

Riku sighed. "I will do anything for my friends. I'll do whatever it takes."

* * *

Been a while since I've updated, but here's another chapter. Short, but the next few may be short. Classes take a lot of time now a days, so updating won't happen often. My goal is to finish this hopefully before the summer. If not, before summer ends.

Please tell me what you think of this chapter. I'm looking for some honest critiques.

_Dezblade_


	69. 68: The World That Was Never Meant to Be

After a whole YEAR of not doing anything, I finally update this sucker. Boy I am terrible at this, aren't I? But seriously, I want this to be complete, so let us continue this tale!

* * *

Chapter 68: The World That Was Never Meant to Be

The group gathered in the now crowded cockpit with the group arguing. "For the last time, set course for Twilight Town," Valdamar said.

"Hold on kid. I thought we were going to find Maleficent," Axel said standing up as well.

"You can. I'm not."

Riku gave a look of surprise. "You've leaving?"

"Yes and no. When running back to the ship I remembered something when building the machine that brought the Seekers over. A design flaw when creating it. The magnetism could be thrown off if there was too great of a negative charge. Back in my apartment at Twilight Town I should be able to get supplies to shut it down."

"Yeah, but I don't think we can just stop there. If what Ansem said was true there's not much time."

"Drop me off. There's escape pods, right?"

"Yeah…but you shouldn't go alone," Sora said, Goofy nodding in support.

"Look, if I'm by myself I don't have to worry about getting separated from you guys if I get attacked. If so, I can just make a run for it."

"But how do we get back in contact with you?"

"Easy," Vald said pulling out something from the control panel. "Pretty much a walkie talkie on a higher level with UPS."

"What?" Donald said.

"Universal Positioning System," Valdamar said. "When I send out a signal, it will you know my location on the main panel on which planet and where on it."

"So you're saying drop you off, go deal with Maleficent without you, and then come pick you up later?" Kairi said.

"Pretty much. Any other ideas?"

"Yeah. You couldn't you get the supplies somewhere else along the way?" Roxas asked.

Valdamar shrugged. "Can't be certain of that. Most likely I won't find enough to throw off the balance of the magnetism and we'll have to go back."

Yami stared at Valdamar. "You need the other key, don't you?"

Valdamar Allen pulled out the key with the markings on it. "Yeah. The other key too."

"Uh, you know there's a bunch of us here with 'Keyblades' right?" Axel said.

Valdamar rolled his eyes. "It's made of a rare metal that will help throw over the balance. It's just a duplicate to this one, that's all."

"Welp, we'd better get going then," said King Mickey.

Sora sighed and set the auto pilot to Twilight Town.

Larxene sat the table opposite of Xidmun. "Is that so?"

He nodded his head. "According to Banirith, the Witch has the crystal. Something apparently the dark wielder is after."

"So go in and take the crystal for ourselves?"

Xidmun shook his head. "Destroy it." Larxene raised an eyebrow. "If we took a hold of that, we would have the darkness increase here. If we throw off the balance of light and dark here, Banirith will be most displeased."

"So in other words, you want me to destroy what was once the headquarters where I lived as a Nobody."

Xidmun leaned in. "That world was never meant to exist. Make it so it doesn't."

Larxene smiled. "I know just how to do that."

Valdamar sat in the pod as he put the safety harness on, adjusting it so he was strapped in tight. Yami sat next to him as Riku and Sora were at the doorway leading to the pod. "As soon as you get what you need. Let us know. We'll come for you as soon as possible," Sora said.

"No problemo," Valdamar said giving a thumbs up.

"Just watch yourself out there. If there's any trouble, just let us know," Riku said before giving a wave and walking off.

"Riku."

Riku stopped and looked at Valdamar. "Hm?"

"Sorry I was a pain to you. Thanks for putting up with all this crap I've got going on."

Riku shook his head. "Don't need to apologize. You've been too hard on yourself. Lighten up a little, huh?"

Valdamar gave a small grin. "Yeah. Catch you later."

Riku nodded and walked back to the main part of the ship as Valdamar looked at Yami. "You've got to get out of here Yami. They're waiting for me get out so you can get going."

Yami put a hand on his shoulder. "Vald…I'm sorry I didn't open myself back up to you."

Valdamar shrugged in the harness as he looked at her. "Perhaps it's better that way. We've been through a lot. I know back when I was Allen and you Mary…we both were in love. But now…what is it?"

Yami looked at him and sighed. "A very close friendship. Could we be in love again? I don't know. We've still been through a lot as Valdamar and Yami."

"You could say that again."

Yami gave a small laugh. "It's just, you are still my closest friend. That will never change. But perhaps we're not to be anymore. What you've done for me I appreciate. But let's let the past be the past."

Valdamar nodded in agreement. "I was thinking along the same lines. After all, I noticed you looking at him."

Yami shot him a dark glance as Vald briefly put his arms up. "I'm sorry. It isn't that hard to notice. He's looking out for you. Just like I do."

"You're not jealous?"

Valdamar sighed. "A little bit. But like he said, I need to lighten up. And for a while I was, until I knew Banirith was still around. Once all of this past, I think I'll be fine."

Yami sighed. "Just hurry up so we can destroy the machine. Perhaps things could be normal."

"Since when has life been normal for any of us?"

"Long time ago it was."

Vald nodded. "Yami," he said looking over his shoulder and paused for a moment. "You be careful."

"Look who's talking."

Valdamar flashed a small grin and turned around. "Bye then."

Yami waved and stepped back into the ship as the door sealed ready for the escape pod to be sent off. A few seconds later, it was released and fell down towards Twilight Town. Yami looked out a window of the ship as the pod went closer to the planet. "Hey," Riku walked up to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah…I think I am," she said before quickly turning away and heading for the cockpit.

They set down the Gummi ship in an alleyway as the ten stepped out onto the dimly lit streets. "Here we are again," Donald said.

"Gosh, never thought this place would still be intact," Goofy said as they began to walk forward.

Sora could only nod as they walked forward. The buildings were in shambles. It was if several earthquakes had come through one after another followed by a monster wrecking the city. Granted that wasn't far from the truth from what happened when Sora and Riku had been there last as Xemnas tore the world apart. "Why would Maleficent still be here?"

"Close to the darkness," Riku said as he looked at Yami for a moment to see if she if the darkness was affecting her in any way. He could smell the darkness growing with every step. "It's a big risk, but she took it."

They walked further down the poorly lit streets, lights flickering on and off trying to give light within the darkness. Soon they came across several buildings that had fallen down and completely blocked the way in front of them. "It's a dead end," Goofy commented looking at the pile of rubble.

"Oh really? Would have never guessed?" Axel said crossing his arms.

"Do we turn back?" Roxas asked.

"No. This the only clear path we've come across so far. And this is the way to the remains of the castle," Mickey said.

Kairi saw Yami looking around, tensing up. Riku followed suit, summoning Road to Dawn. "Guys, something's headed this way."

"What?" Sora asked.

The two dark wielders were quite for a moment glancing at one another. "Something…big."

Darkness swallowed the ground behind them as a large mass of darkness began to emerge as a Darkside heartless began to rise up from the ground staring down upon them. "Get rid of the building!" Yami yelled charging forward, Riku, Kairi, Axel, Roxas, and Goofy right next right after her.

"Come on guys! Let's lift this out of the way!" King Mickey said pointing his keyblade at the ruined structure.

"Gravity!" Sora shouted as Donald repeated after Sora as Namine began to trace the outlines of a hands pushing up the structure.

The structure began to creak upwards as the others fought off the Darkside that was being caught off guard being attacked by six at once. Seconds seem to take forever as the four finally cleared the mass of rubble above the ground enough for someone to run through. "GUYS! RUN!" Sora yelled over his shoulder.

Sora saw the group begin to run one at a time past him as they ran under the lifted structure, Axel throwing a fireball as he ran. "Don't stay here. There's another one too!"

Sora looked over his shoulder to see the first Darkside fall down as a third began to surface as Neoshadows began to rise from the surface crawling towards them.

"Move on three!" Sora shouted as the four holding up the rubble readied themselves as the rest of the party went for the end.

"One."

The two Darksides began to gather orbs of darkness into their fists.

"Two!"

"Just run!" Kairi shouted as the Neo Shadows were nearly upon them.

"Three!" Sora shouted bringing down his keyblade.

The four holding the structure released their magic as they began to run as fast as they could, Donald lagging behind the rest. "Come on Donald!" Mickey said as Donald waddled behind them as the structure fell from the sky, heartless on their heels.

Sora looked behind him, keyblade pointed behind him firing blizzard spells as Neo Shadows leaped upon the mage. It was then the Darksides slammed the orbs of dark energy into the ground causing the four to lose their footing as the fell face first on the ground. Sora looked up to see the ruble falling down upon them.

Before it could hit him, a deafening gale of wind ripped through the air rolling Sora as he stabbed Ultima Weapon into the ground to hold him in place as he saw the ruins lift up into the air into the two Darksides, numerous Neoshadows flying up into the night sky. Sora looked towards the gale, eyes squinting to see Yami with her arms outstretched covered in darkness as she held her mouth open in a battle cry as the wind ripped from her arms. She released the magic falling onto her back as the wind died down as Riku caught her before hitting the ground.

Sora groaned as he got up to see King Mickey, Donald, and Namine had survived the building and wind blast as well before running over to Yami. "Yami!"

Her eyes were closed as she breathed heavily. "Never…do that again," she muttered as she strained herself to stand up, Riku holding her back, Axel offering her a hand up. "Shade most likely noticed my darkness. She'll probably be here soon. If I have to do something like that again…I probably won't be able to hold her back."

Sora nodded. "Thank you. We probably wouldn't have made it."

Yami sighed. "I guess this is where I say that's what friends are for."

"Oh how touching."

The group turned to see a figure above on top of a crumbled building in a yellow cloak. "Larxene," Axel said holding his Charklams, though not readying his weapons to attack.

"See you haven't changed much Axel, except your clothing choice is quite a poor one I must say."

"Stay away," Riku said pointing his keyblade the soulz.

Larxene laughed. "Oh trust me, I'm not looking for a fight today."

"You're lying. You're here to take back a part of the Royal Scroll."

"If only I was. But I have something else to attend to. And trust me, it'll be quite a sight to behold," Larxene said before laughing disappearing into a portal.

"I don't like the sound of if," Roxas said.

"Either way, let's get moving before we run into more heartless," King Mickey said.

"I don't think so pal!"

Pete stood in their path, laughing. "Move it Pete!" Donald said readying his staff.

"Oh, I don't think so. You see, Maleficent's a bit busy at the moment. And you've caused enough trouble already as it is."

"And you think you can take all of us on?" Riku said.

Pete looked down the row, mumbling to himself about he should have rethought approaching them directly. "Go, I'll take care of him." Sora said.

Goofy looked at Sora. "By yourself?"

Sora grinned."Sure I can. I can handle him by myself, I'll catch up with you guys."

The others ran past him towards what was left of the castle, Pete running after them before Sora stood in-between. "You think you can take on the mighty Pete by yourself, huh? We'll just have to see about that."

**Neku's Playlist: Battle 2 from FINAL FANTASY IV**

Pete summoned orbs of energy and started rolling them like bowling balls, except they were much than Sora had fought in the past. He managed to dodge the first two but the third caught his right leg sending him onto the ground. He looked up to see another coming right at him, almost to his face. He rolled to the side just avoiding it as he got to his feet as Pete laughed. "Not as strong as you think you are, hey?"

Sora ran forward Ultima Weapon hacking back and forth at Pete as his opponent blocked his attacks laughing smugly to himself before putting a glowing spherical shield around him. "Ha! What are you going to do about it now keyblade wielder?"

Sora ran away from Pete till he reached a pile of rubble across the way of the trashed street, Pete laughing. "Yeah, you better run away pipsqueak!"

Sora than grinned as he raced forward at Pete, keyblade spread out at his right. He gave a battle cry as he slammed his keyblade into the ground just as he reached Pete. Using his momentum he grabbed onto the keyblade with both hands swinging in the air horizontally sending his feet at the protective sphere Pete had around him. The force sent the sphere Pete was in to roll away as Pete tumbled around inside, yelling from inside as Sora fell to the ground, already tired out from lifting the debris from earlier.

Pete's shield went down as he slowly got back up holding his head as he moved around dizzy. He shook his head and focused. "I've had enough with you. HEARTLESS! Take care of him!"

Two dark pools opened in the ground as two heartless emerged floating up into the air as Sora gasped upon seeing them. Invisibles. They heartless were insanely powerful being able to fly and control their swords at will. The last time he had seen such heartless where when he fought Xehanort's heartless. He had never taken such things on by himself.

He dodged to the side as one sliced at him as the other one disappeared, it's sword beginning to move back and forth across the ground at him, Sora jumping while slashing at the one in the air. "Thunder!" he cried out, but the spell missed as the Invisible took the chance and hit him with its sword.

Sora fell to the ground just to see the other sword race up against him. He felt the blow as he was thrown back again. He slowly got up, the two Invisibles getting closer to him yet again. "HEAL!" he shouted casting Curaga on himself, feeling a bit revitalized.

He ran forward and rolled underneath the two as they swiped at him. He got back on his feet, moving backwards as his free hand dug through his pocket. Finally he found what he was looking for and pulled out a charm. "GENIE!"

Puffs of blue smoke went around Sora as Genie appeared next to Sora. "Hey there Sora, mind if borrow that?" Genie asked taking Sora's keyblade, running his hand along it making himself a duplicate keyblade with his own design and tossed Ultima Weapon back to Sora catching it as the two readied their weapons. "Two on two seems more of a fair fight," Sora said as he and Genie raced against the heartless head-on.

The four met each other, swords clanging with one another as they traded back blows. Genie quickly poofed behind the Invisible before it hit him as a tornado spinning sucking in the heartless before spitting it out as floated in the air dizzy and confused. Sora took this moment to spring up in the air and attacked at it several times before it fell to the ground, disappearing as a heart floated off. The other Invisible didn't take well to this disappearing as its sword began to slash back and forth through the air. Sora spun Ultima weapon like mad blocking the attacks until one slash knocked him onto the ground as he cried out in pain.

"What's the matter with you pal!" Genie said zooming forward now in with his keyblade replica growing to the size of a airplane as genie donned a baseball uniform and swung the massive keyblade hitting the heartless head on sending off into the sky. "Look's like it a HOOOOOMMMMEEEE RUUUUNNNN!" Genie shouted as the Invisible became invisible in the sky.

"Thanks Genie," Sora said getting back on his feet as Genie popped away in a cloud of blue smoke as Sora walked towards Pete. Sora held the keyblade stretched out at Pete. "Your move Pete!"

Pete looked around nervously. "Ohhhhh." He hopped up and down in frustration. "Oh she's not going to like this!" he yelled as he ran off as Sora relaxed.

"Well, that could have been worse," Sora said as he ran off to catch up with the others.

The ground made it through the large amount of heartless till they came across the skyscraper of the empty city. Most of its lights were out or dim, barely visible. The group froze when they heard the building shake slightly as the building began to creak. Suddenly, all of the lights in the building turned on and shone bright, the light giving a bright beacon among the darkness. As the group shielded their eyes, they heard Larxene laugh. "Now who said you could come this close to the castle?"

"What's it to you?" Yami sneered.

"You mean the place I only called for the longest time?"

"Oh come on," Axel said. "You and I know both know you had no care for the place at all."

"That may be the case. Perhaps I still don't."

All of the sudden, a loud band was heard as the Castle that Never Was shook, smoke from the behind part of the castle. "She's going to blow the place! We've got to move!" King Mickey said as he ran for the castle.

The group followed as Larxene jumped from above the tower, lightning bolts proceeding her. She reached the ground throwing daggers at Axel, only for Namine to jump in between a reflect spell causing the daggers to bounce back towards the Savage Nymph. "You dare to stand up against me, witch?"

A beam of light went past Larxene skimming part of her cloak. She turned scowling as Kairi stood with a determined face as the rest of the group ran for the castle. "I think you're the one who's a witch," Kairi said.

* * *

Like I said, time to get back on track. Finally, this has returned.

Please review and share your thoughts.

_Dezblade_


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